A lubricant for a magnetic recording medium including an ionic liquid including a Bronsted acid and a Bronsted base that is primary amine as constituents of the ionic liquid, wherein the Bronsted acid includes a fluorine-containing chain, the Bronsted base includes a fluorine-containing chain that is a perfluoroalkyl chain or a perfluoropolyether chain, wherein the fluorine-containing chain in the Bronsted acid is a perfluoropolyether chain or the fluorine-containing chain in the Bronsted base is the perfluoropolyether chain, or the fluorine-containing chain in the Bronsted acid is the perfluoropolyether chain and the fluorine-containing chain in the Bronsted base is the perfluoropolyether chain, and a number average molecular weight of the fluorine-containing chain in the Bronsted acid is 1,500 or less.