An etchant for copper includes an acid and one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of an aliphatic noncyclic compound, an aliphatic heterocyclic compound and a heteroaromatic compound. The aliphatic noncyclic compound is a saturated aliphatic noncyclic compound (A) including only two or more nitrogen atoms as heteroatoms, and 2 to 10 carbon atoms. The aliphatic heterocyclic compound is a compound (B) including a five-, six-, or seven-membered ring having one or more nitrogen atoms as one or more heteroatoms constituting the ring. The heteroaromatic compound is a compound (C) including a six-membered heteroaromatic ring having one or more nitrogen atoms as one or more heteroatoms constituting the ring.