Cups to Milliliters Converter - Convert cups to mL
Use the exact identity for the US customary cup: mL = cups × 236.5882365. The reverse mapping is cups = mL ÷ 236.5882365. For very large or small values, the display switches to scientific notation to keep results easy to read.
Exact identities: 1 US fl oz = 29.5735295625 mL and 1 cup = 8 US fl oz. Therefore 1 US cup = 236.5882365 mL. See all volume conversion calculators.
About Cups to Milliliters Conversion
A cup is a common kitchen unit in the United States. A milliliter (mL) is an SI volume unit used worldwide in recipes, drinks, labs, and packaging. This page converts cups to milliliters using the US customary cup, which is exactly 236.5882365 mL. Because the factor is exact, your conversions are reliable for both home cooking and professional work. If your source uses the metric cup (250 mL) or the legal cup (240 mL), we explain those below so you can choose the right standard for your case.
The calculator above keeps full internal precision and only rounds at display time. When values are very large or very small, the UI switches to scientific notation so results remain readable in tables and dashboards.
Cups to Milliliters Formula
Exact relationship (US customary cup)
mL = cups × 236.5882365
// inverse
cups = mL ÷ 236.5882365Unit breakdown (all exact for the US customary cup):
1 US fluid ounce = 29.5735295625 mL
1 cup = 8 US fluid ounces
⇒ 1 cup = 8 × 29.5735295625 = 236.5882365 mL
⇒ mL = cups × 236.5882365Related Volume Converters
What Are Cups?
In this tool, a cup means the US customary cup used in many American recipes and measuring sets. It equals 8 US fluid ounces and has an exact value of 236.5882365 mL. Some regions use a metric cup of 250 mL, and US nutrition labels often use a legal cup of 240 mL. These are different standards; choose the one that matches your recipe or regulation.
What Are Milliliters (mL)?
A milliliter is one thousandth of a liter. It is a convenient unit for liquids in recipes, coffee, drinks, medication doses, and lab work. Because mL is an SI unit, it fits cleanly with liters and cubic meters and is easy to use in formulas and spreadsheets.
Step-by-Step: Converting Cups to mL
- Confirm which cup your source uses (US customary, metric, or legal).
- Enter the number of cups.
- Multiply by the correct factor. For US customary: × 236.5882365.
- Round once at presentation to match your context (kitchen: nearest mL; lab: more decimals).
Example walkthrough (US customary cup):
Input: 2 cups
Compute: mL = 2 × 236.5882365 = 473.176473
Output: 473.176473 mL (UI rounding only)Deep-Dive Use Cases
Cooking and baking
Many US recipes call for cups. If you use a scale or want metric accuracy, convert to mL for liquids. This keeps ratios stable when you scale recipes up or down.
Product formulation
In beverage and food development, teams often share internal specs in mL while legacy notes use cups. Converting to mL removes ambiguity and supports labeling.
Education and training
Side-by-side cup and mL values help learners see how household units relate to SI units, building better measurement habits.
Common Conversions (Cups → mL)
| Cups (US) | Milliliters (mL) |
|---|---|
| 0.25 | 59.147059125 |
| 0.5 | 118.29411825 |
| 1 | 236.5882365 |
| 1.5 | 354.88235475 |
| 2 | 473.176473 |
| 3 | 709.7647095 |
| 4 | 946.352946 |
| 5 | 1,182.9411825 |
| 8 | 1,892.705892 |
| 12 | 2,839.058838 |
Quick Reference Table (Reverse)
| Milliliters (mL) | Cups (US) |
|---|---|
| 59.147059 | 0.25 |
| 118.294118 | 0.5 |
| 236.5882365 | 1 |
| 354.882355 | 1.5 |
| 473.176473 | 2 |
| 709.7647095 | 3 |
| 946.352946 | 4 |
| 1,182.941183 | 5 |
| 1,892.705892 | 8 |
| 2,839.058838 | 12 |
Precision, Rounding & Significant Figures
Operational rounding
Keep exact values internally and round once for display or export. Home cooking often uses whole mL; professional work may keep one or two decimals.
Consistent documentation
Keep the identities near examples (mL = cups × 236.5882365 and cups = mL ÷ 236.5882365). State clearly which cup standard you used.
Where This Converter Is Used
- Scaling recipes between household cups and SI milliliters for accurate batching.
- Packaging and labeling where rules require SI volumes but inputs are in cups.
- Training materials that connect kitchen practice with scientific measurement.
- Data pipelines that standardize legacy “cups” entries into mL for analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the exact formula to convert cups to milliliters?
Using the US customary cup, the exact formula is mL = cups × 236.5882365. This comes from 1 US fluid ounce = 29.5735295625 mL exactly and 1 cup = 8 US fl oz, so 1 cup = 8 × 29.5735295625 = 236.5882365 mL.
Which cup are you using here?
This tool uses the US customary cup defined as 8 US fluid ounces, which equals exactly 236.5882365 milliliters. Other regions may use a metric cup (250 mL) or a US legal cup (240 mL) for nutrition labeling. Always confirm which cup your recipe or standard requires.
How many milliliters are in 1 cup?
1 US cup = 236.5882365 mL. Many home recipes round to 240 mL, but this tool uses the exact US customary definition for accuracy.
How do I convert back from milliliters to cups?
Use cups = mL ÷ 236.5882365 (US customary cup). This is the exact inverse of multiplying by 236.5882365.
Is a US cup the same as a metric cup?
No. A US customary cup is 236.5882365 mL. A metric cup is 250 mL. If your recipe uses metric cups, use a dedicated metric cup converter.
Is 236.5882365 an exact constant?
Yes, for the US customary cup it is exact because 1 US fl oz = 29.5735295625 mL by definition, and 1 cup = 8 fl oz. Multiplying gives an exact factor.
What if my recipe uses the metric cup (250 mL) or the legal cup (240 mL)?
Then the factor changes. For a metric cup, use mL = cups × 250; for a US legal cup, use mL = cups × 240. If you are not sure, check the cookbook, the country of origin, or the labeling rule.
Will the calculator handle very large or very small values?
Yes. For extreme values the UI automatically switches to scientific notation to keep the number readable while preserving full precision.
Which symbols should I use in documents and CSV files?
Use “cup” or “cups” as written, and “mL” or “milliliters”. Keep symbols consistent across headings, legends, and column names.
What rounding policy should I follow?
Do the math at full precision and round once at presentation. For cooking you may round to the nearest mL or 0.5 mL; for lab work you may keep more decimals to match instrument resolution.
Do fractional or negative inputs convert correctly?
Yes. The mapping is linear and sign-preserving. Fractions like 0.25 cup or −0.5 cup convert correctly with the same factor.
Any quick mental math tips for cups → mL?
Approximate 1 cup ≈ 237 mL. So 2 cups ≈ 474 mL, 0.5 cup ≈ 118.3 mL, and 0.25 cup ≈ 59.15 mL. For exact values, use 236.5882365.
Why do some cookbooks list 240 mL for a cup?
That is the US legal cup used for nutrition labeling. Many home recipes still assume the US customary cup (236.5882365 mL). Check the context and stick to one standard in your project.
Does localization change the calculation?
No. Localization only changes how numbers look (decimal symbol and digit grouping). The underlying calculation and precision are unchanged.
Tips for Working with Cups & Milliliters
- Confirm the cup standard (US customary, metric, or legal) before converting.
- Use exact factors in code and round once at presentation for clean reports.
- For quick checks, remember: 1 cup ≈ 237 mL, ½ cup ≈ 118 mL, ¼ cup ≈ 59 mL.
- Document the chosen standard in method notes so others can reproduce results.