There is provided a water-based ink that gives good coloration and little blurring on regular paper, gives adequate coloration on specialist paper, and has good fixability, and further gives excellent
discharge stability with ink jet recording, and moreover exhibits the effect of a chelating agent even in a small amount, and is not harmful due to evaporating, subliming or the like. The water-based ink of the present invention comprises a colorant, water, a water-soluble
organic solvent, a surfactant, and a chelating agent, wherein the chelating agent is
nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) or a salt thereof, methylglycine diacetic acid (MGDA) or a salt thereof, L-
glutamine diacetic acid (GLDA) or a salt thereof, L-
aspartic acid diacetic acid (ASDA) or a salt thereof,
diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) or a salt thereof,
gluconic acid (GA) or a salt thereof,
citric acid (CA) or a salt thereof, nitrilotripropionic acid (NTP) or a salt thereof, nitrilotrisphosphonic acid (NTPO) or a salt thereof, dihydroxyethylglycine (DHEG) or a salt thereof, hydroxyethyliminodiacetic acid (HIDA) or a salt thereof, 1,3-diamino-2-hydroxypropane tetraacetic acid (DPTA-OH) or a salt thereof,
hydroxyethylidene diphosphonic acid (HEDP) or a salt thereof, nitrilotrimethylene phosphonic acid (NTMP) or a salt thereof, or phosphonobutane
tricarboxylic acid (PBTC) or a salt thereof.