A liquid crystal element that refracts and outputs light, comprising: a plurality of unit electrodes (rn) each including a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode being disposed on the same layer level; a plurality of resistance layers disposed on the same layer level; a liquid crystal layer including liquid crystal; a third electrode; a first boundary layer that includes an electric insulator, and that is disposed on the same layer level as the plurality of unit electrodes, the first boundary layer being disposed between a unit electrode (rn) and a unit electrode (rn) adjacent to each other among the unit electrodes; and a second boundary layer that includes an electric insulator, and that is disposed on the same layer level as the resistance layers, the second boundary layer being disposed between a resistance layer and a resistance layer adjacent to each other among the plurality of resistance layers, wherein the resistance layers are disposed on a layer level different from the layer level of the unit electrodes, the plurality of resistance layers each have an electrical resistivity that is higher than an electrical resistivity of the first electrode and lower than an electrical resistivity of an insulator, the liquid crystal layer is disposed between each of the unit electrodes and the third electrode, each of the plurality of resistance layers is disposed between the liquid crystal layer and a corresponding one of the unit electrodes (rn), or each of the plurality of unit electrodes (rn) is disposed between a corresponding one of the resistance layers and the liquid crystal layer, the plurality of unit electrodes each are opposite to a corresponding one of the resistance layers, an insulator is not disposed between each of the plurality of unit electrodes and a corresponding one of the resistance layers, widths of the unit electrodes are determined such that a ratio of refracted light to light output from the liquid crystal layer is larger than a ratio of diffracted light to the light output from the liquid crystal layer, and the widths of the unit electrodes each indicate a distance between the first electrode and the second electrode. a plurality of unit electrodes (rn) each including a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode being disposed on the same layer level; a plurality of resistance layers disposed on the same layer level; a liquid crystal layer including liquid crystal; a third electrode; a first boundary layer that includes an electric insulator, and that is disposed on the same layer level as the plurality of unit electrodes, the first boundary layer being disposed between a unit electrode (rn) and a unit electrode (rn) adjacent to each other among the unit electrodes; and a second boundary layer that includes an electric insulator, and that is disposed on the same layer level as the resistance layers, the second boundary layer being disposed between a resistance layer and a resistance layer adjacent to each other among the plurality of resistance layers, wherein the resistance layers are disposed on a layer level different from the layer level of the unit electrodes, the plurality of resistance layers each have an electrical resistivity that is higher than an electrical resistivity of the first electrode and lower than an electrical resistivity of an insulator, the liquid crystal layer is disposed between each of the unit electrodes and the third electrode, each of the plurality of resistance layers is disposed between the liquid crystal layer and a corresponding one of the unit electrodes (rn), or each of the plurality of unit electrodes (rn) is disposed between a corresponding one of the resistance layers and the liquid crystal layer, the plurality of unit electrodes each are opposite to a corresponding one of the resistance layers, an insulator is not disposed between each of the plurality of unit electrodes and a corresponding one of the resistance layers, widths of the unit electrodes are determined such that a ratio of refracted light to light output from the liquid crystal layer is larger than a ratio of diffracted light to the light output from the liquid crystal layer, and the widths of the unit electrodes each indicate a distance between the first electrode and the second electrode.