A semiconductor light emitting device includes a substrate 11 including a group III-V nitride semiconductor; a first-conductivity-type layer 12 formed on the substrate 11, the first-conductivity-type layer including a plurality of group III-V nitride semiconductor layers of first conductivity type; an active layer 13 formed on the first semiconductor layer 12; and a second-conductivity-type layer 14 formed on the active layer 13, the second-conductivity-type layer including a group III-V nitride semiconductor layer of second conductivity type. The first-conductivity-type layer 12 includes an intermediate layer 23 made of Ga1-xInxN (0