Kitchen Measurements Guide
Everything you need to know about kitchen measurement systems — abbreviations, volume and weight equivalents, US vs UK differences, and practical tips for accurate measuring.
Kitchen recipes use measurement systems that vary by country, ingredient type, and era. American recipes use cups, tablespoons, and pounds. British recipes use grams and millilitres. Older British recipes use ounces and pints. Australian recipes use metric cups but with a larger tablespoon. Understanding the differences — and knowing how to convert between them — is the foundation of confident cooking from any source.
The most important distinction is between volume (cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, ml, litres) and weight (grams, ounces, pounds, kilograms). Volume measurements depend on how densely an ingredient is packed; weight measurements are always consistent. Professional bakers use weight for this reason — a gram is a gram regardless of how the flour is scooped.
Common Kitchen Measurement Abbreviations
All the abbreviations you will encounter in recipes, with metric equivalents and notes.
| Abbreviation | Full name | Metric | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| tsp / t | Teaspoon | 5 ml | Worldwide standard |
| tbsp / T | Tablespoon (UK/US) | 15 ml | AU tablespoon = 20 ml |
| fl oz | Fluid ounce | 28–30 ml | UK 28.4 ml / US 29.6 ml |
| c / C | Cup | 237–250 ml | US 237 ml / UK·AU 250 ml |
| pt | Pint | 473–568 ml | US 473 ml / UK 568 ml |
| qt | Quart | 946 ml–1.14 L | US 946 ml / UK 1.14 L |
| ml | Millilitre | 1 ml | Metric standard |
| L / l | Litre | 1,000 ml | Metric standard |
| oz | Ounce (weight) | 28.35 g | Avoirdupois ounce |
| lb | Pound | 453.6 g | 16 oz = 1 lb |
| g | Gram | 1 g | Metric standard |
| kg | Kilogram | 1,000 g | Metric standard |
Volume Measurement Equivalents
Common volume conversions between cups, tablespoons, fluid ounces, and millilitres.
| Measurement | ML | Fl oz | Tablespoons |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml | — | ⅓ tbsp |
| 1 tablespoon (UK/US) | 15 ml | — | 3 tsp |
| 1 tablespoon (AU) | 20 ml | — | 4 tsp |
| 2 tablespoons | 30 ml | 1 fl oz | 6 tsp |
| ¼ cup (US) | 59 ml | 2 fl oz | 4 tbsp |
| ⅓ cup (US) | 79 ml | 2⅔ fl oz | 5⅓ tbsp |
| ½ cup (US) | 118 ml | 4 fl oz | 8 tbsp |
| 1 cup (US) | 237 ml | 8 fl oz | 16 tbsp |
| 1 cup (UK/AU) | 250 ml | 8.8 fl oz | 16⅔ tbsp |
| 1 pint (US) | 473 ml | 16 fl oz | 2 US cups |
| 1 pint (UK) | 568 ml | 20 fl oz | 2 UK cups |
| 1 litre | 1,000 ml | 35.2 fl oz | 4.23 US cups |
Weight Measurement Equivalents
Common weight conversions between grams, ounces, and pounds.
| Grams | Ounces (oz) | Pounds (lb) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 g | 0.035 oz | — |
| 10 g | 0.35 oz | — |
| 25 g | 0.88 oz | — |
| 28.35 g | 1 oz | — |
| 100 g | 3.53 oz | — |
| 113 g | 4 oz | ¼ lb |
| 227 g | 8 oz | ½ lb |
| 250 g | 8.82 oz | — |
| 454 g | 16 oz | 1 lb |
| 500 g | 17.6 oz | — |
| 1 kg | 35.3 oz | 2.2 lb |
US vs UK Measurement Differences
Cups
A US cup is 236.6ml; a UK, Australian, and metric cup is 250ml — about 5% more. This difference is negligible in casual cooking but significant in precision baking. Most modern UK recipes avoid cups entirely and use grams instead.
Tablespoons
UK and US tablespoons are both 15ml — effectively the same. Australian tablespoons are 20ml (one third more). Three UK tablespoons (45ml) equals only 2.25 Australian tablespoons. Always check if a recipe comes from Australia when tablespoon amounts seem large.
Pints
A US pint is 473ml; a UK (imperial) pint is 568ml — significantly different. If an old British recipe calls for a pint of milk, that is 568ml, not the American 473ml. For liquids, millilitres avoid this ambiguity entirely.
Fluid ounces
A UK fluid ounce is 28.4ml; a US fluid ounce is 29.6ml. The difference is small (about 4%) and usually negligible in cooking. However, 16 fl oz makes a US pint (473ml), while 20 fl oz makes a UK pint (568ml).
Tips for Accurate Kitchen Measuring
Weigh, don't cup — kitchen scales give far more consistent results. A cup of flour can weigh anywhere from 100g to 160g depending on how it is scooped.
Spoon flour into the cup lightly, then level off with a straight edge — never scoop directly from the bag. Scooping compacts the flour and can add 20–30% extra.
Use liquid measuring jugs for liquids — read at eye level with the jug on a flat surface to avoid parallax error.
Use proper measuring spoons for small amounts. Cutlery teaspoons and tablespoons vary significantly in size.
Brown sugar should be firmly packed into a cup unless the recipe says "loosely packed". Icing sugar should be spooned loosely.
Check the recipe's country of origin before measuring. Australian tablespoons are 20ml; UK tablespoons are 15ml. The difference across a whole recipe adds up.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does tsp mean in a recipe?
tsp stands for teaspoon. One teaspoon equals 5ml. Always use a proper measuring spoon — a cutlery teaspoon is not a consistent size.
What does tbsp mean in a recipe?
tbsp stands for tablespoon. One UK or US tablespoon is 15ml. Australian tablespoons are 20ml — one third more. Check the recipe origin if the amount seems off.
How many teaspoons are in a tablespoon?
There are exactly 3 teaspoons in 1 UK or US tablespoon (both use 5ml teaspoons and 15ml tablespoons). Australian tablespoons are 20ml, which equals 4 Australian teaspoons.
What is the difference between US and UK cup measurements?
A US cup is 236.6ml; a UK, Australian, and metric cup is 250ml — about 5% more. Small in casual cooking but meaningful in precision baking. Our converters let you select the correct size.
What does oz mean in cooking?
oz is the abbreviation for ounce. In cooking, this is the avoirdupois ounce (28.35 grams). "fl oz" (fluid ounce) is different — it measures volume (about 29.6ml US / 28.4ml UK). Never confuse the two.
How many grams in an ounce?
One ounce (oz) equals 28.35 grams. For quick maths: 4 oz = 113g, 8 oz = 227g, 16 oz (1 lb) = 454g.
Conversion Calculators
Use these free tools to convert any measurement instantly.
Cups to Grams
Ingredient-aware cup to gram converter
Tablespoons to Grams
Convert tbsp by ingredient
Teaspoons to Grams
Convert tsp by ingredient
Oz to Grams
Convert ounces to grams
Pounds to Grams
Convert lb to grams for US recipes
Cups to ML
Convert cups to millilitres
Celsius to Fahrenheit
Oven temperature converter
Ingredient Chart
50+ ingredients at a glance