A sulfonium salt represented by the following general formula: wherein R 1 and R 2 independently represent an alkyl group which may be substituted with a halogen atom or a group represented by the following general formula, R 1 and R 2 may be combined to form a ring together with the sulfur atom in the formula, R 3 represents a group represented by the following general formula or a group represented by the following general formula, A 1 represents S, O or Se, and X - represents a monovalent anion, provided that R 1 and R 2 are not simultaneously an alkyl group which may be substituted with a halogen atom; wherein a ring Z 1 represents an aromatic hydrocarbon ring, R 4 represents a hydroxy group, an alkoxy group, an alkylcarbonyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an acyloxy group, an alkylthio group, a thienyl group, a thienylcarbonyl group, a furanyl group, a furanylcarbonyl group, a selenophenyl group, a selenophenylcarbonyl group, a heterocyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon group, an alkylsulfinyl group, an alkylsulfonyl group, a hydroxy (poly) alkyleneoxy group, an amino group which may be substituted, a cyano group, a nitro group, a halogen atom or an alkyl group which may be substituted with a halogen atom, and m1 is an integer of 0 or more; wherein R 5 represents an alkylene group which may be substituted with a hydroxy group, an alkoxy group, an alkyl carbonyl group, an aryl carbonyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, an arylthiocarbonyl group, an acyloxy group, an arylthio group, an alkylthio group, an aryl group, a heterocyclic hydrocarbon group, an aryloxy group, an alkylsulfinyl group, an arylsulfinyl group, an alkylsulfonyl group, an arylsulfonyl group, a hydroxy(poly)alkyleneoxy group, an amino group which may be substituted, a cyano group, a nitro group or a halogen atom, or a group represented by the following general formula, R 6 represents an alkyl group which is substituted with a hydroxy group, an alkoxy group, an alkylcarbonyl group, an arylcarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, an arylthiocarbonyl group, an acyloxy group, an arylthio group, an alkylthio group, an aryl group, a heterocyclic hydrocarbon group, an aryloxy group, an alkylsulfinyl group, an arylsulfinyl group, an alkylsulfonyl group, an arylsulfonyl group, a hydroxy (poly) alkyleneoxy group, an amino group which may be substituted, a cyano group or a nitro group, or a group represented by the following general formula, A 2 represents a single bond, S, O, a sulfinyl group or a carbonyl group, and n1 is 0 or 1; wherein R 7 and R 8 independently represent an alkylene group which may be substituted with a hydroxy group, an alkoxy group, an alkylcarbonyl group, an arylcarbonyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, an arylthiocarbonyl group, an acyloxy group, an arylthio group, an alkylthio group, an aryl group, a heterocyclic hydrocarbon group, an aryloxy group, an alkylsulfinyl group, an arylsulfinyl group, an alkylsulfonyl group, an arylsulfonyl group, a hydroxy (poly) alkyleneoxy group, an amino group which may be substituted, a cyano group, a nitro group or a halogen atom, or a group represented by the following general formula, R 9 and R 10 independently represent an alkyl group which may be substituted with a halogen atom, or a group represented by the general formula, R 9 and R 10 may be combined to form a ring together with the sulfur atom in the formula, A 3 represents a single bond, S, O, a sulfinyl group or a carbonyl group, X - is the same as defined above, and n2 is 0 or 1, provided that R 9 and R 10 are not simultaneously an alkyl group which may be substituted with a halogen atom; wherein a ring Z 2 represents an aromatic hydrocarbon ring, R 11 represents a hydroxy group, an alkoxy group, an alkylcarbonyl group, an arylcarbonyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, an arylthiocarbonyl group, an acyloxy group, an arylthio group, an alkylthio group, an aryl group, a heterocyclic hydrocarbon group, an aryloxy group, an alkylsulfinyl group, an arylsulfinyl group, an alkylsulfonyl group, an arylsulfonyl group, a hydroxy(poly)alkyleneoxy group, an amino group which may be substituted, a cyano group, a nitro group, a halogen atom or an alkyl group which may be substituted with a halogen atom, and m2 is an integer of 0 or more; wherein a ring Z 3 represents an aromatic hydrocarbon ring, R 12 represents a hydroxy group, an alkoxy group, an alkylcarbonyl group, an arylcarbonyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, an arylthiocarbonyl group, an acyloxy group, an arylthio group, an alkylthio group, a thienylcarbonyl group, a furanylcarbonyl group, a selenophenylcarbonyl group, an aryl group, a heterocyclic hydrocarbon group, an aryloxy group, an alkylsulfinyl group, an arylsulfinyl group, an alkylsulfonyl group, an arylsulfonyl group, a hydroxy (poly) alkyleneoxy group, an amino group which may be substituted, a cyano group, a nitro group, a halogen atom or an alkyl group which may be substituted with a halogen atom, and m3 is an integer of 0 or more.