To attain a high color reproducibility as a whole image without impairing the brightness of the entire image. A color image display device comprising a combination of light shutters, a color filter having color elements of at least three colors of red, green and blue corresponding to the light shutters, and a backlight for transmission illumination, wherein a light source to be used for the backlight comprises a combination of a blue or deep blue LED and a phosphor, and the relationship between the NTSC ratio W as a color reproduction range of the color image display element and the light use efficiency Y is represented Y≧−0.38 W+51 (wherein W≧87).