A novel imidazole compound that yields a surface treatment liquid that is very effective at suppressing migration and oxidation of a wiring surface; a metal surface treatment liquid that contains the imidazole compound; a metal surface treatment method that uses the metal surface treatment liquid; and a laminate production method that uses the surface treatment liquid. A metal is surface-treated using the surface treatment liquid which includes a saturated fatty acid or a saturated fatty acid ester of a specific structure, in which a prescribed position is substituted by an aromatic group of a prescribed structure and an imidazolyl group that may have a substituent group.