Ink, ink jet recording method, recording unit, ink cartridge, and ink jet recording apparatus

An ink jet ink comprising:

• a coloring material;
• and
• a water-soluble organic solvent,
• wherein the coloring material comprises (a) a compound represented by the following general formula (I) or a salt thereof and (b) C.I. Direct Yellow 132,
• wherein the mass ratio of the content of the compound represented by the general formula (I) or a salt thereof to the content of the C.I. Direct Yellow 132 is in the range of 0.5:5 to 2:5,
• wherein the content of the coloring material is 1.0 mass % or more and 4.0 mass % or less with respect to the total mass of the ink,
• wherein the water-soluble organic solvent comprises (a) diethylene glycol, 2-pyrrolidone, and ethylene urea as group A solvents, and (b) glycerin as a group B solvent,
• wherein the total content of the water-soluble organic solvent is 10 mass % or more and 50 mass % or less with respect to the total mass of the ink, and
• wherein the total content of the group A solvents is 50 mass % or more and 73.3 mass % or less with respect to the total content of the water-soluble organic solvent in the ink:
• where “M”s each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal, an alkali earth metal, a cation of organic amine or an ammonium ion, and “n”s each independently represent 1 or 2.