Disclosed is a compound for a photoresist, which is selected from the group consisting of a compound having an oxonol dye skeleton, a cyanine dye, a styryl dye, a compound having a merocyanine dye skeleton, a compound having a phthalocyanine dye skeleton, an azo compound and a complex compound of an azo compound with a metal ion. Also disclosed is a photoresist solution comprising at least one kind of the above-mentioned compound. Further disclosed is a method for etching a surface of interest by using the photoresist solution.