The thermoplastic resin in accordance with the present invention includes a unit (A) by 25 mol % to 60 mol %, the unit (A) having a biphenyl group, a linear unit (e.g., a linear aliphatic hydrocarbon chain) (B) by 25 mol % to 60 mol %, and a unit (C) by 1 mol % to 25 mol %, the unit (C) having a substituent selected from the group consisting of non-fused aromatic groups, fused aromatic groups, heterocyclic groups, alicyclic groups, and alicyclic heterocyclic groups, each of which has an effect of folding a main chain.