Abstract: A water-based ink for ink-jet recording includes a coloring agent and water. The coloring agent includes a dye represented by the following general formula (1). In the ink, an amount of glycerin is set so as to satisfy the following condition (A). 3.5X?5?Y1?3.

Abstract: A black dye ink for ink-jet recording containing a black dye, a color dye for toning, a water-soluble organic solvent and water, satisfies the following inequalities (1) and (2) simultaneously: ODimax(0)?ODimin(0)?0.15, and ??(1) ODimax(1)?ODimin(1)?0.15, ??(2) where ODimax(0) and ODimin(0) are maximum and minimum optical densities, respectively, of ODiy(0), ODim(0) and ODic(0) which are the optical densities of Y, M and C color components, respectively, of a solid black printed portion printed on glossy paper with the black dye ink and having an average optical density of about 0.9 or more and about 1.1 or less; and ODimax(1) and ODimin(1) are maximum and minimum optical densities, respectively, of ODiy(1), ODim(1) and ODic(1) which are the optical densities of the Y, M and C color components, respectively, after a predetermined light fastness test is performed on the solid black printed portion.