In porous ceramic for slide member including independent pores having a pore size of 5 μm or more, the independent pore is flattened body having minor axis in a direction perpendicular to a sliding surface, and a cross sectional area (S1) of an independent pore at a cross section perpendicular to the sliding surface is 95% or less of an area (S2) of a complete round having a diameter which is the same length as a major axis of the cross section of the independent pore, and in a cumulative distribution curve of pore sizes of independent pores in a plane parallel to the sliding surface, a ratio (P75/P25) of a pore size of cumulative 75% by volume (P75) to a pore size of cumulative 25% by volume (P25) is 1.9 or less. The porous ceramic can be suitably used as slide member such as seal ring.