Disclosed is a combination of a water-based ink and a wetting solution for ink-jet recording, which enables smooth introduction of the water-based ink into an ink-jet head. One end of a capillary having an inner diameter of from about 0.1 to about 1 mm is dipped in the water-based ink so that the water-based ink rises inside the capillary. A combination of a water-based ink and a wetting solution that satisfy the following formula (1) is selected: Vi/Vs≧about 2  (1) wherein Vs indicates a rising speed of the water-based ink at an intermediate position before and after the water-based ink rising when an inner wall of the capillary is in a dry state, and Vi indicates a rising speed of the water-based ink when an inner wall of the capillary is wetted with the wetting solution.