A liquid crystal composition having a negative dielectric anisotropy that includes two components, wherein the first component is at least one compound selected from the group of compounds represented by formulas (1-1) and (1-2), and the second component is at least one compound selected from the group of compounds represented by formulas (2-1) to (2-3): ##STR00001## wherein, for example, R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are each alkyl having 1 to 12 carbons; X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 are each fluorine; ring A, ring B, ring C, ring D, ring E, ring F and ring G are each 1,4-cyclohexylene or 1,4-phenylene; and Z.sup.1 is a single bond.