Quick Reference: Liquid Conversion Chart
| Milliliters | Cups | Fl oz | Tbsp | Tsp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ml | 1/48 cup | 0.17 fl oz | 1 tbsp (⅓) | 1 tsp |
| 15 ml | 1/16 cup | 0.5 fl oz | 1 tbsp | 3 tsp |
| 30 ml | ⅛ cup | 1 fl oz | 2 tbsp | 6 tsp |
| 60 ml | ¼ cup | 2 fl oz | 4 tbsp | 12 tsp |
| 80 ml | ⅓ cup | 2.7 fl oz | 5 tbsp + 1 tsp | 16 tsp |
| 120 ml | ½ cup | 4 fl oz | 8 tbsp | 24 tsp |
| 180 ml | ¾ cup | 6 fl oz | 12 tbsp | 36 tsp |
| 240 ml | 1 cup | 8 fl oz | 16 tbsp | 48 tsp |
| 480 ml | 2 cups (1 pint) | 16 fl oz | 32 tbsp | 96 tsp |
| 960 ml | 4 cups (1 quart) | 32 fl oz | 64 tbsp | — |
| 3785 ml | 16 cups (1 gallon) | 128 fl oz | 256 tbsp | — |
How to Use This Calculator
Enter a value in any field — milliliters, cups, fluid ounces, tablespoons, teaspoons, or liters — and all other fields update instantly. This is useful when you need to scale a recipe, convert between metric and US measurements, or figure out how many tablespoons are in a third of a cup.
Common Liquid Conversions in Cooking
The most frequently needed conversions in everyday cooking are: 1 cup = 240ml, 1 tablespoon = 15ml, 1 teaspoon = 5ml, and 1 fluid ounce = 30ml. These are the four values worth memorizing — they come up constantly in both US and metric recipes.
For scaling recipes, the most useful thing to know is the relationship between tablespoons and cups: 16 tablespoons = 1 cup. So ¼ cup is 4 tablespoons, ⅓ cup is 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon, and ½ cup is 8 tablespoons.
Fluid Ounces vs. Weight Ounces
These are completely different units that happen to share the word "ounce." Fluid ounces measure volume — how much space a liquid takes up. Weight ounces measure mass. For water, they happen to be nearly equal: 1 fluid ounce of water weighs about 1.04 ounces. But for other liquids, they diverge significantly. 1 fluid ounce of honey weighs about 1.5 ounces because honey is much denser than water. Always check whether a recipe means fluid ounces (volume) or weight ounces when measuring liquids by ounces.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many ml in a cup?
1 US cup = 236.6ml, typically rounded to 240ml in cooking contexts. The metric cup (used in Australia and Canada) is exactly 250ml. For most recipes, the difference between 237ml and 240ml is negligible — use whichever is easier to measure with your equipment.
How many tablespoons in ⅓ cup?
⅓ cup equals 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon (79ml). This is one of the more awkward fractions because it doesn't divide evenly into tablespoons. To measure ⅓ cup without a ⅓ cup measure: use 5 tablespoons and then add 1 teaspoon more.
Is 8 fl oz the same as 1 cup?
Yes — in US measurements, 8 fluid ounces equals 1 cup (236.6ml). This is why an 8 oz glass of water is also described as 1 cup. The conversion 1 cup = 8 fl oz is one of the most reliable in US cooking measurement.
How do I convert a recipe from cups to ml?
Multiply the cup amount by 240 to get approximate milliliters, or by 236.6 for the precise conversion. For example: 1.5 cups × 240 = 360ml. For tablespoons: multiply by 15. For teaspoons: multiply by 5. These three conversions handle almost all liquid measurements in US recipes.