An inventive ink comprises a water-soluble dye or a pigment as a coloring agent, 5 to 15% by weight of polyvalent alcohol monoalkyl ether selected from the group consisting of tetraethylene glycol monoalkyl ethers and pentaethylene glycol monoalkyl ethers, 5 to 50% by weight of polyvalent alcohol, and pure water. When recording is performed in accordance with the ink-jet recording system by using the inventive ink, an excellent result is obtained from any viewpoint concerning, for example, the recording characteristic, the fixation to an objective recording material, the quick drying characteristic, the printing quality characteristic, and the low odor characteristic. The inventive ink is useful as an ink to be used for ink-jet recording apparatuses based on various recording systems, making it possible to obtain an excellent recording result.