A light-emitting element includes: a sapphire substrate having a c-plane at a main surface thereof; and a semiconductor layer provided at the main surface side of the sapphire substrate. The sapphire substrate includes a first unit including a first region, a second region, and a third region, wherein, when viewed from the main surface side, the three regions together have a shape of a regular hexagon that is evenly divided into the three regions such that each region has a shape of a rhombus; and a plurality of second units disposed to be aligned with each side of the first unit, the second unit having mirror symmetry relative to the first unit. The first unit and the second units are arranged to make a space at the center of the unit.