Abstract: In an etching method, plasma of a first processing gas and plasma of a second processing gas are alternately generated. Each of the first processing gas and the second processing gas includes a first gas containing first fluorocarbon, a second gas containing second fluorocarbon, an oxygen-containing gas and a fluorine-containing gas. A ratio of a number of fluorine atoms to a number of carbon atoms in a molecule of the second fluorocarbon is larger than that in a molecule of the first fluorocarbon. When a flow rate of the first gas is increased, a flow rate of the second gas is decreased. When a flow rate of the second gas is increased, a flow rate of the first gas and a flow rate of the fluorine-containing gas are decreased and a flow rate of the oxygen-containing gas is increased.