To obtain an ink with excellent long-term reliability of ink jet by incorporating a compound consisting of glycerol with an ethylene glycol com pound bonded thereto via an ether linkage into an aqueous solution containing a water-soluble dye and glycerol.

There is provided a recording ink comprising a water-soluble dye, glycerol, one compound (A) selected from the compounds, represented by formulae I-VI, consisting of glycerol with an ethylene glycol compound bonded thereto via an ether linkage and water, where glycerol and the compound A exist in a wt. ratio of 1/2-1/5. If necessary, there are admixed at least one surface active agent selected from the group consisting of anionic, cationic and amphoteric and nonionic surface active agents, an antiseptic and fungicidal agent, a pH adjusting agent, a rust preventive, a water-soluble ultraviolet absorber and a water-soluble infrared absorber. As the water-soluble dye there can be employed as a direct dye, an acid dye, a reactive dye, a basic dye and a disperse dye, etc. In the formula, R is OH or SO3Na and n represents an integer of 1-9.