A lighting unite according to an embodiment includes a light source, a light guide plate, and a wavelength converting member. The light source is configured to emit primary light rays. The light guide plate includes a light entering surface through which the primary light rays enter, a light exiting surface through which the primary light rays exit, and a light reflecting and scattering pattern. The light reflecting and scattering pattern includes complementary color dots formed in edge areas of the opposite surface and white dots formed inner than the complementary color dots. The complementary color dots absorb primary light rays and exhibit a color that makes a complementary color pair with a reference color exhibited by the primary light rays. The white dots exhibit white color. The wavelength converting member covers the light exiting surface and passes some of the primary light rays to emit planar light.