A semiconductor element comprising a substrate of a first conductivity type and a first silicon carbide semiconductor layer which is arranged on the principal surface of the substrate and which includes a drift region of the first conductivity type, wherein as viewed along a normal to the principal surface of the substrate, the semiconductor element has a unit cell region and a terminal region which is located between the unit cell region and an edge of the semiconductor element, and wherein the terminal region includes a ring region of a second conductivity type which is arranged in the first silicon carbide semiconductor layer so as to contact with the drift region, and wherein the ring region includes a high concentration ring region which contacts with the surface of the first silicon carbide semiconductor layer and a low concentration ring region which contains an impurity of the second conductivity type at a lower concentration than in the high concentration ring region and the bottom of which contacts with the first silicon carbide semiconductor layer, and wherein a side surface of the high concentration ring region contacts with the drift region, and wherein as viewed along a normal to the principal surface of the substrate, the high concentration ring region and the low concentration ring region are identical in contour, and wherein the unit cell region has a plurality of unit cells, and wherein each said unit cell includes: a body region of the second conductivity type which is arranged adjacent to the drift region in the first silicon carbide semiconductor layer; an impurity region of the first conductivity type which is arranged in the body region; a second silicon carbide semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type which is arranged on the first silicon carbide semiconductor layer so as to contact with at least a part of the body region and with at least a part of the impurity region; a gate insulating film which is arranged on the second silicon carbide semiconductor layer; a gate electrode which is arranged on the gate insulating film; a first ohmic electrode which is electrically connected to the impurity region; and a second ohmic electrode which is arranged on the other side of the substrate opposite from its principal surface, and characterized in that the body region includes a first body region which contacts with the second silicon carbide semiconductor layer at least partially; and a second body region which contains an impurity of the second conductivity type at a lower concentration than in the first body region and the bottom of which contacts with the first silicon carbide semiconductor layer, and wherein supposing the threshold value of the semiconductor element as a transistor is Vth, by appropriately selecting the impurity concentration in the first body region, the impurity concentration and thickness of the second silicon carbide semiconductor layer, and the thickness of the gate insulating film, if the potential of the gate electrode with respect to the potential of the first ohmic electrode is equal to or greater than zero but less than Vth and the potential of the second ohmic electrode with respect to the potential of the first ohmic electrode is -1V or less, the semiconductor element functions as a diode which makes current flow from the first ohmic electrode toward the second ohmic electrode through the second silicon carbide semiconductor layer, the diode having an absolute value of a turn-on voltage of 1V or less, and Vth being 2V or more and 8V or less. a body region of the second conductivity type which is arranged adjacent to the drift region in the first silicon carbide semiconductor layer; an impurity region of the first conductivity type which is arranged in the body region; a second silicon carbide semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type which is arranged on the first silicon carbide semiconductor layer so as to contact with at least a part of the body region and with at least a part of the impurity region; a gate insulating film which is arranged on the second silicon carbide semiconductor layer; a gate electrode which is arranged on the gate insulating film; a first ohmic electrode which is electrically connected to the impurity region; and a second ohmic electrode which is arranged on the other side of the substrate opposite from its principal surface, and characterized in that the body region includes a first body region which contacts with the second silicon carbide semiconductor layer at least partially; and a second body region which contains an impurity of the second conductivity type at a lower concentration than in the first body region and the bottom of which contacts with the first silicon carbide semiconductor layer, and wherein supposing the threshold value of the semiconductor element as a transistor is Vth, by appropriately selecting the impurity concentration in the first body region, the impurity concentration and thickness of the second silicon carbide semiconductor layer, and the thickness of the gate insulating film, if the potential of the gate electrode with respect to the potential of the first ohmic electrode is equal to or greater than zero but less than Vth and the potential of the second ohmic electrode with respect to the potential of the first ohmic electrode is -1V or less, the semiconductor element functions as a diode which makes current flow from the first ohmic electrode toward the second ohmic electrode through the second silicon carbide semiconductor layer, the diode having an absolute value of a turn-on voltage of 1V or less, and Vth being 2V or more and 8V or less.