PURPOSE: To reduce the number of terminals of a display element ane decoder by performing time-division display of two signals by combining the "m×n"-number segment electrodes and the "n"-number common electrode provided opposing to the "m"-number segment electrodes.

CONSTITUTION: On a surface in contact with liquid crystal of a glass substrate, sixteen transparent segment electrodes S1WS16, for example, are formed at equal intervals and electrodes Si, S9-i, S8+i, and S17-i are connected in common to terminal Ti. On a surface in contact with liquid crystal of the other glass substrate, on the other hand, four common electrodes SaWSd are formed opposing to electrodes S1WS4...S13WS16, and then connected to terminals TaWTd. Then, voltage Vp indicating the peak level of a recording input and peak holding voltage Vh are supplied to switch circuit 23 and then to decoder 25. Now, if voltage Vp of a level equivalent to electrode S7, for example, is supplied to decoder 25 in period (τ1), electrodes S7WS1 are seen in black. When voltage Vh of a level equal to that of electrode S11 is applied in period (τ2), only S11 is seen in black and time-division display is performed between the both.