An absorptive article for allowing a person to accurately determine the presence of water content, such as discharged urine, in the article. A discernment element (21) by which water content can be visually discerned is formed on the human body side of an outer surface sheet (9), that is, on that side of the outer surface sheet (9) which faces a liquid absorbing structure (10). A hot-melt composite formed by mixing a pH indicator into an adhesive component is used as the discernment element (21), and the discernment element (21) is formed by applying the hot-melt composite to the outer surface sheet (9). The holt-melt composite forming the discernment element (21) extends in lines in the vertical direction Y, and a cover sheet (22) is mounted between the liquid absorbing structure (10) and the discernment element (21). The cover sheet (22) has an area capable of covering the entire discernment elements (21) in the vertical and lateral directions (Y, X) and is joined to at least either the outer surface sheet (9) or the liquid absorbing structure (10). Hydrophobic non-woven fiber cloth having a water-resistant pressure of 40 to 500 mm is used as the cover sheet (22).
