How Many ML Are in a Cup?
The Formula
Common Cups to Milliliters Values
| Cups | Milliliters | Fraction |
|---|---|---|
| 0.25 | 59.15 | 59⅛ |
| 0.5 | 118.29 | 118⅓ |
| 0.75 | 177.44 | 177½ |
| 1 | 236.59 | 236⅝ |
| 1.5 | 354.88 | 354⅞ |
| 2 | 473.18 | 473⅛ |
| 3 | 709.76 | 709¾ |
| 4 | 946.35 | 946⅓ |
| 5 | 1182.94 | 1182⅞ |
| 8 | 1892.70 | 1892⅔ |
| 10 | 2365.88 | 2365⅞ |
| 12 | 2839.06 | 2839⅛ |
A Worked Example
A pastry recipe from a French cookbook lists quantities in cups but the kitchen only has a milliliter-marked liquid measuring jug. Multiply each cup figure by 236.588 — for example, 1½ cups of milk becomes about 355ml.
When This Conversion Matters
A US cup holds 236.6ml, which is the figure to use when converting American recipes to metric measurements.
Some countries use a 250ml metric cup instead, so check your recipe's origin before converting.
This is one of the most fundamental conversions for anyone cooking with recipes from multiple countries, since nearly every other cup-based conversion on this site ultimately traces back to this 236.588ml figure.
Kitchen equipment manufacturers selling internationally sometimes print both US and metric cup markings on the same measuring cup, which is where many home cooks first notice the two standards aren't identical.
International recipe-sharing platforms that auto-translate between measurement systems rely on this exact 236.588ml figure as the anchor point for every other cup-based conversion they calculate.
Standards and Sources
The US customary cup is fixed at exactly 236.588 milliliters under NIST measurement standards, the baseline figure for every cup-to-metric conversion on this site.
USDA FoodData Central uses this exact figure when publishing ml-equivalent volumes for foods measured in US cups.
The metric cup (250ml), used in Australia, New Zealand, and some other countries, is a separately standardized unit — not derived from or equal to the US cup.
The USDA's FoodData Central platform lists both cup and milliliter equivalents for its food entries, using the precise 236.588ml conversion factor consistently across its entire nutrition database.
Where This Unit Comes From
This conversion sits at the intersection of two independently developed measurement traditions — the US customary cup, formalized through 19th-century cookbook standardization, and the milliliter, formalized through the 1795 French metric system.
Where This Shows Up
This is one of the most fundamental conversions for anyone cooking with recipes from multiple countries, since nearly every other cup-based conversion on this site ultimately traces back to this figure.
Kitchen equipment manufacturers selling internationally sometimes print both US and metric cup markings on the same measuring cup, which is where many home cooks first notice the two standards aren't identical.
Home coffee and tea brewing guides that specify a European-style milliliter water ratio often require this conversion for US brewers using a standard cup-marked kettle or carafe.
Recipe translation services and professional cookbook localization teams rely on this exact figure as the foundation for converting an entire US cookbook into a metric edition for international publication.
Common Mistakes
- Using the 250ml metric cup figure for a US recipe, or vice versa, without checking which standard the recipe actually uses.
- Rounding 236.588 down to a flat 235 or up to 240, introducing small but compounding error across a full recipe.
- Assuming every printed measuring cup uses the same standard, when imported cookware sometimes uses a different regional cup size.
- Assuming every 'cup' icon in a recipe app uses the same underlying ml value without checking the app's regional settings.
US Cup vs Metric Cup
| US Cup | Metric Cup | |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | 236.588 ml | 250 ml |
| Difference | Baseline | ~5.7% larger |
| Standards body | NIST (US) | Varies by country |
Related Converters
Frequently Asked Questions
How many ml are in a cup?+
236.6ml make 1 US cup.
How many ml are in a metric cup?+
250ml, which is slightly more than a US cup.
How many ml are in half a cup?+
About 118.3ml.
How do I tell if my measuring cup is US or metric?+
Check for printed markings — US cups typically show fraction lines (¼, ⅓, ½, ⅔, ¾), while metric cups often show ml markings in round numbers like 50, 100, 150.
Why does this number matter for international recipe conversion?+
It's the base figure every other cup-to-metric conversion on this site relies on, making it one of the most foundational figures in kitchen measurement.
Should I round 236.588 to 237 for simplicity?+
For most home cooking, yes — the difference is negligible. Precise baking should use the full figure.
Is this the figure used in scientific recipe replication studies?+
Yes, food science research replicating a US recipe internationally typically converts cup measurements to milliliters using this exact standard for consistency.