To provide a spinning oil which is useful for a carbon fiber production process, exhibits excellent heat resistance and excellent single fiber adhesion- preventing property and does not cause the deterioration in the performance of carbon fibers due to ash.

This spinning oil for the carbon fiber production process is characterized by containing one or more compounds represented by general formula (1) [X is H or a monocarboxylic acid residue; R is a 2 to 32C hydrocarbon group; A is a 2 to 10C hydrocarbon group; (m) is an integer of 1 to 100; (n) is an integer of 1 to 500; a plurality of Xs, Rs, As or (n)s may be identical or different, respectively].