According to one embodiment, a semiconductor light emitting device includes an n-type semiconductor layer, a p-type semiconductor layer, a light emitting portion, a first layer, a second layer, and an intermediate layer. The semiconductor layers include nitride semiconductor. The light emitting portion is provided between the n-type semiconductor layer and the p-type semiconductor layer and includes a quantum well layer. The first layer is provided between the light emitting portion and the p-type semiconductor layer and includes AlX1Ga1-x1N having first Al composition ratio x1. The second layer is provided between the first layer and the p-type semiconductor layer and includes Alx2Ga1-x2N having second Al composition ratio x2 higher than the first Al composition ratio x1. The intermediate layer is provided between the first layer and the light emitting portion and has a thickness not smaller than 3 nanometers and not larger than 8 nanometers and includes Inz1Ga1-z1N (0≦z1