Cups to Milliliters Converter
Formula
mL = cups × 236.588
One US cup equals 236.588 milliliters. This conversion is essential for following recipes from different countries.
How to use
- Enter the number of Cups you want to convert.
- Use decimals like 0.5 or 0.25 for partial cups.
- Read the equivalent Milliliters in the result.
Example
1 cup equals 1 × 236.588 = 236.6 mL. So a recipe calling for 1 US cup of liquid needs about 237 milliliters.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many mL in 1 cup?
1 US cup = 236.6 mL (approximately 240 mL for easy math).
Is a US cup the same as a UK cup?
No. A US cup is 236.6 mL while an imperial (UK) cup is 284.1 mL.
Why do recipes sometimes use 240 mL instead of 236.6 mL for a cup?
A US legal cup, used on nutrition labels and in many modern recipes, is defined as exactly 240 mL, while the older US customary cup used for traditional measuring is 236.588 mL. The roughly 3 mL difference is negligible for most cooking, so many cooks just round to 240 mL for easy mental math. This converter uses the customary 236.588 mL value, which is the standard for dry and liquid measuring cups sold in the US.
How many milliliters are in half a cup or a quarter cup?
Half a US cup is about 118.3 mL and a quarter cup is about 59.1 mL, based on 236.588 mL per full cup. These fractions come up constantly in baking, where you might need 1/2 cup of milk or 1/4 cup of oil. If you're working with metric measuring tools, rounding to 120 mL and 60 mL is close enough for nearly all recipes.