A vertical alignment liquid crystalline compound containing a laterally substituted aromatic cyclic moiety. The liquid crystalline compound has a wide temperature range of the nematic phase, a high optical anisotropy and a high negative dielectric anisotropy. In addition, since the rotation viscosity and the K33/K11 ratio of the liquid crystalline compound are maintained at a low level, the liquid crystalline compound can be effectively used as a liquid crystalline medium having good image quality and a high response speed even when applied to thin liquid crystalline cells.