The present invention provides a liquid absorbing member for absorbing excessive ink components from an ink image formed on a recording medium by an ink jet recording method, in which the liquid absorbing member contains fibrous matter, and the fiber thickness of fibers composing the fibrous matter is in a range of about 0.01 to 100 dtex. The fibrous matter preferably contains fibers having a fiber diameter in a range of about 0.5 to 10 .mu.m, and fibers composing the fibrous matter are preferably polyester fibers. The invention also provides an ink jet recording apparatus comprising a printhead and the liquid absorbing member.