Kitchen Measurement Conversion Chart: Cups, Tablespoons, Teaspoons & mL

Need a quick kitchen measurement conversion while cooking or baking? Use the chart below to convert common US cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, fluid ounces, and milliliters without stopping to calculate each one.

Quick Kitchen Measurement Conversion Chart

Cups, Fluid Ounces & Milliliters

US Measure	Fl oz	Metric
1/8 cup	1	~30 mL
1/4 cup	2	~60 mL
1/3 cup	~2.67	~80 mL
1/2 cup	4	~120 mL
2/3 cup	~5.33	~160 mL
3/4 cup	6	~180 mL
1 cup	8	~240 mL
1 tablespoon	1/2	~15 mL
1 teaspoon	—	~5 mL

The cup, tablespoon, teaspoon, and fluid-ounce relationships within the US customary system are fixed ratios. The milliliter values are rounded for practical kitchen use.

Save this kitchen measurement conversion chart for quick reference while cooking or baking.

The Most Useful Kitchen Conversions to Remember

If you do not want to memorize the full chart, these relationships cover many everyday recipe conversions:

1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons

1 cup = 16 tablespoons

1 cup = 48 teaspoons

1 cup = 8 fluid ounces

1/2 cup = 8 tablespoons

1/4 cup = 4 tablespoons

1/8 cup = 2 tablespoons

For awkward fractions:

1/3 cup = 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon

2/3 cup = 10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons

These are especially useful when scaling a recipe or when you do not have the exact measuring cup you need.

Exact vs. Rounded Kitchen Measurements

One reason conversion charts can look slightly different is that they often mix exact relationships with rounded metric values.

Exact US volume relationships

These are fixed relationships:

• 1 cup = 16 tablespoons
• 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
• 1 cup = 48 teaspoons
• 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces

Rounded metric values

When US measurements are converted to milliliters, the numbers are not always neat.

For practical kitchen use, these rounded values are easier to work with:

• 1 teaspoon ≈ 5 mL
• 1 tablespoon ≈ 15 mL
• 1 cup ≈ 240 mL

A US customary cup is actually closer to 236.6 mL, but 240 mL is commonly used as a practical kitchen conversion.

Cups to Tablespoons

The main relationship is simple:

1 cup = 16 tablespoons

The 1/3-cup and 2/3-cup conversions are useful when you are halving, doubling, or otherwise adjusting a recipe.

Cups to Teaspoons

Because 1 tablespoon equals 3 teaspoons and 1 cup equals 16 tablespoons:

1 cup = 48 teaspoons

Cups	Teaspoons
1/4 cup	12 tsp
1/3 cup	16 tsp
1/2 cup	24 tsp
2/3 cup	32 tsp
3/4 cup	36 tsp
1 cup	48 tsp

Tablespoons to Teaspoons

The basic conversion is:

1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons

Tablespoons	Teaspoons
1/2 tbsp	1 1/2 tsp
1 tbsp	3 tsp
2 tbsp	6 tsp
3 tbsp	9 tsp
4 tbsp	12 tsp

This conversion matters because confusing tbsp and tsp can dramatically change the amount of an ingredient.

Cups to Fluid Ounces

For US volume measurements:

1 cup = 8 fluid ounces

Cups	Fluid Ounces
1/8 cup	1 fl oz
1/4 cup	2 fl oz
1/2 cup	4 fl oz
3/4 cup	6 fl oz
1 cup	8 fl oz

Be careful with the word “ounce.” Fluid ounces and ounces by weight are not the same thing.

Cups to Milliliters

For practical kitchen use:

Cups	Approximate mL
1/8 cup	30 mL
1/4 cup	60 mL
1/3 cup	80 mL
1/2 cup	120 mL
2/3 cup	160 mL
3/4 cup	180 mL
1 cup	240 mL

These are rounded cooking values rather than exact scientific conversions.

If a recipe requires very high precision, use the measurement system given in the original recipe instead of repeatedly converting between systems.

Volume and Weight Are Not the Same Thing

This is one of the most important things to understand when converting kitchen measurements.

Cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, fluid ounces, and milliliters measure volume.

Grams, ounces by weight, and pounds measure weight or mass.

That means you cannot assume:

1 cup = 240 grams

for every ingredient.

A cup of flour, sugar, oil, honey, or water can all have different weights because each ingredient has a different density and can pack differently into the measuring cup.

If you need to convert cups to grams, use an ingredient-specific conversion.

Fluid Ounces vs. Ounces by Weight

These two measurements sound similar, but they measure different things.

Fluid ounces (fl oz) measure volume.

Ounces (oz) measure weight.

For example:

8 fl oz of milk describes a volume.

8 oz of chocolate describes a weight.

Do not automatically substitute one for the other.

Dry vs. Liquid Measuring Cups

Dry and liquid measuring cups may represent the same nominal volume, but they are designed differently.

Dry measuring cups

Dry measuring cups usually come in nesting sets with flat rims.

They are designed to be filled and leveled across the top, which makes them useful for ingredients such as flour, sugar, oats, and similar dry ingredients.

Liquid measuring cups

Liquid measuring cups usually have:

• A pouring spout
• Measurement markings on the side
• Extra space above the highest measurement line

For a better reading, place the cup on a flat surface and check the liquid level at eye level.

Common Kitchen Measurement Mistakes

Good measurements are only part of getting consistent results. Heat and pan technique matter too — see Why Overcrowding Your Pan Ruins Browning for a practical guide to better browning.

Mixing up tablespoons and teaspoons

tbsp means tablespoon.

tsp means teaspoon.

Since 1 tablespoon equals 3 teaspoons, confusing the two can triple or reduce the intended amount.

This can make a noticeable difference with ingredients such as salt, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and extracts.

Treating milliliters and grams as interchangeable

Milliliters measure volume.

Grams measure mass.

They are not automatically interchangeable for every ingredient.

Assuming every cup is identical

Not every recipe around the world uses exactly the same cup convention.

If you are converting an international recipe, check which measurement system the recipe uses before changing the amounts.

Treating rounded metric values as exact

Values such as 240 mL for one cup are useful practical kitchen conversions.

They should not be treated as exact scientific equivalents in situations where very high precision matters.

Confusing fluid ounces with ounces

Always check whether the recipe says fl oz or oz.

They measure different things.

Measuring small amounts by eye

Estimating 1/4 teaspoon or 1/2 teaspoon by eye can create a relatively large error.

Use measuring spoons when small quantities matter.

When a recipe uses a small amount of garlic, measuring accurately is only part of the result. Heat control matters too — see How to Sauté Garlic Without Burning It for a practical guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tablespoons are in one cup?

There are 16 tablespoons in 1 US cup.

How many teaspoons are in one tablespoon?

There are 3 teaspoons in 1 tablespoon.

How many tablespoons are in 1/3 cup?

One-third cup equals 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon.

How many tablespoons are in 2/3 cup?

Two-thirds cup equals 10 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons.

How many milliliters are in one cup?

For practical kitchen use, use about 240 mL.

A US customary cup is slightly smaller at about 236.6 mL.

Is 8 oz the same as 1 cup?

Only if you mean 8 fluid ounces.

Eight US fluid ounces equal one cup.

Eight ounces by weight is a different measurement.

Are milliliters and grams the same?

No, not as a general rule.

Milliliters measure volume, while grams measure mass.

You need to know the density of the ingredient before converting between them.

Can I convert any cup measurement directly to grams?

No.

A cup is a volume measurement, while grams measure mass. The conversion depends on the specific ingredient.

Quick Kitchen Conversion Cheat Sheet

For a fast reference, remember:

1 tbsp = 3 tsp

1 cup = 16 tbsp

1 cup = 48 tsp

1 cup = 8 fl oz

1 cup ≈ 240 mL

And for awkward fractions:

1/3 cup = 5 tbsp + 1 tsp

2/3 cup = 10 tbsp + 2 tsp

Keep this chart handy when scaling recipes, switching between measuring tools, or working with recipes that mix US and metric units.