Convert Cups (US) to Milliliters (mL)

The cup-to-mL formula

To convert US cups to milliliters, multiply the number of cups by 236.588. One US customary cup is defined as exactly 236.588 mL, which equals 8 US fluid ounces or 16 tablespoons. So 1 cup is 236.588 mL, 2 cups is 473.176 mL, and half a cup (0.5) is 118.294 mL. Three cups works out to 236.588 × 3 = 709.764 mL. Because it is a single multiplication, you can estimate it quickly in your head.

When you actually need this

American recipes almost always list ingredients in cups, so following a US baking video means translating those cups into mL or grams. For water, milk, and other liquids close to a density of 1, you can read mL straight off a kitchen scale as grams with negligible error. Converting '2 cups flour, 1 cup milk' into precise mL takes the guesswork out of baking. Bartenders scaling cocktail recipes and coffee lovers dialing in brew ratios also benefit from putting everything in mL. It matters most where accuracy counts, like measuring formula or baby food.

Reference points and a common trap

Remember 1 cup ≈ 236.6 mL, or round up to about 240 mL for quick mental math. It helps to know that 8 fl oz = 1 cup and that 4 cups ≈ 946 mL, which is almost exactly 1 liter. The biggest trap is that 'cup' is not one single size. This calculator uses the US cup of 236.588 mL, whereas a metric cup is 250 mL and Korean or Japanese measuring cups are usually 200 mL. Measuring a US recipe with a 200 mL cup leaves you about 15% short, so always confirm which cup a recipe means.

Frequently asked questions

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