A π-conjugated compound having a cardo structure represented by the following formula: where R 1 and R 2 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms which may have a substituent, a phenyl, naphthyl or phenoxy group which may have a substituent, or a halogen atom; Ar 1 independently represents a group represented by the following formula: where R 5 and R 6 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms and m is an integer of 0 to 3, and n is an integer of 0 to 2; and Ar 2 independently represents a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, an anthryl group, a phenanthryl group, a pyrenyl group, a fluorenyl group, a chrysenyl group, a perylenyl group, a picenyl group, a benzo[c]fluorenyl group, a 4-quinolyl group, a 4-pyridyl group, a 3-pyridyl group, a 2-pyridyl group, a 2-dipyridyl group, a 3-furyl group, a 2-furyl group, a 3-thienyl group, a 2-thienyl group, a 2-oxazolyl group, a 2-thiazolyl group, a 2-benzoxazolyl group, a 2-benzothiazolyl group, a 2-benzoimidazolyl group, a 1,10-phenanthrolinyl group or any one of the following formulae,,, and: where R 7, R 3 and R 9 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, or an aryl or aryloxy group having 6 to 24 carbon atoms, or a heteroaryl group having 3 to 24 carbon atoms, or a halogen atom; and X represents a carbon atom or a nitrogen atom; where R 10, R 11 and R 12 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, or an aryl or aryloxy group having 6 to 24 carbon atoms, or a heteroaryl group having 3 to 24 carbon atoms, or a halogen atom, provided that R 10 and R 11 may be bonded together with each other to form a ring; and X represents a carbon atom or a nitrogen atom; where R 13, R 14 and R 15 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or an aryl group having 6 to 24 carbon atoms, or a heteroaryl group having 3 to 24 carbon atoms, and p and q are integers satisfying the following formula: 1 ≤ p + q ≤ 3 and s and x are integers of 0 to 2. where R 1 and R 2 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms which may have a substituent, a phenyl, naphthyl or phenoxy group which may have a substituent, or a halogen atom; Ar 1 independently represents a group represented by the following formula: where R 5 and R 6 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms and m is an integer of 0 to 3, and n is an integer of 0 to 2; and Ar 2 independently represents a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, an anthryl group, a phenanthryl group, a pyrenyl group, a fluorenyl group, a chrysenyl group, a perylenyl group, a picenyl group, a benzo[c]fluorenyl group, a 4-quinolyl group, a 4-pyridyl group, a 3-pyridyl group, a 2-pyridyl group, a 2-dipyridyl group, a 3-furyl group, a 2-furyl group, a 3-thienyl group, a 2-thienyl group, a 2-oxazolyl group, a 2-thiazolyl group, a 2-benzoxazolyl group, a 2-benzothiazolyl group, a 2-benzoimidazolyl group, a 1,10-phenanthrolinyl group or any one of the following formulae,,, and: where R 7, R 3 and R 9 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, or an aryl or aryloxy group having 6 to 24 carbon atoms, or a heteroaryl group having 3 to 24 carbon atoms, or a halogen atom; and X represents a carbon atom or a nitrogen atom; where R 10, R 11 and R 12 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, or an aryl or aryloxy group having 6 to 24 carbon atoms, or a heteroaryl group having 3 to 24 carbon atoms, or a halogen atom, provided that R 10 and R 11 may be bonded together with each other to form a ring; and X represents a carbon atom or a nitrogen atom; where R 13, R 14 and R 15 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or an aryl group having 6 to 24 carbon atoms, or a heteroaryl group having 3 to 24 carbon atoms, and p and q are integers satisfying the following formula: 1 ≤ p + q ≤ 3 and s and x are integers of 0 to 2.