Cooking Measurement Abbreviations
Every abbreviation you'll meet in a recipe — tsp, tbsp, c, oz, fl oz, pt, qt — with what it means and how much it is.
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Volume Abbreviations
| Abbreviation | Also Written | Meaning | Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| tsp | t | Teaspoon | 5 ml · ⅓ tablespoon |
| tbsp | T, tbs, tbl | Tablespoon | 15 ml · 3 teaspoons |
| fl oz | fl. oz. | Fluid ounce | 29.57 ml · 2 tablespoons |
| c | C, cup | Cup | 236.6 ml · 16 tablespoons |
| pt | p | Pint | 473 ml · 2 cups |
| qt | q | Quart | 946 ml · 4 cups |
| gal | g (rare) | Gallon | 3.79 l · 16 cups |
| ml | mL, cc | Milliliter | ⅕ teaspoon |
| l | L, lt | Liter | 1000 ml · 4.2 cups |
Weight Abbreviations
| Abbreviation | Also Written | Meaning | Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| oz | oz. | Ounce (weight) | 28.35 g |
| lb | lbs, # | Pound | 454 g · 16 ounces |
| g | gr (ambiguous) | Gram | 0.035 oz |
| kg | kilo | Kilogram | 1000 g · 2.2 lb |
Converting between weight and volume depends on the ingredient — that's what our grams to cups converter is for.
Informal Measures
| Term | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Pinch | What you can pinch between thumb and finger — about ⅟₁₆ teaspoon |
| Dash | A quick shake — about ⅛ teaspoon for dry, a few drops for liquid |
| Smidgen | Half a pinch — about ⅟₃₂ teaspoon |
| Heaping / heaped | As much as the spoon carries with a mound on top |
| Scant | Just under the stated measure |
| Knob (of butter) | About 1-2 tablespoons (British recipes) |
| Stick (of butter) | ½ cup · 113 g · 8 tablespoons (US) |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between tsp and tbsp?
tsp is teaspoon (5 ml) and tbsp is tablespoon (15 ml) — a tablespoon is three times a teaspoon. In older cookbooks a lowercase "t" means teaspoon and an uppercase "T" means tablespoon, so the capitalization matters.
Does oz mean weight or volume in a recipe?
Plain "oz" is weight; "fl oz" (fluid ounce) is volume. They only coincide for water-like liquids. For example, 8 oz of chocolate chips is a weight (about 1⅓ cups by volume), while 8 fl oz of milk is exactly 1 cup.
What does "c" mean in a recipe?
Cup — 236.6 ml in US recipes. Note that a metric cup (Australia, NZ) is 250 ml and a UK imperial cup is 284 ml, so check the recipe's origin for precision baking.
How much is a pinch, a dash, and a smidgen?
They are informal, but the convention is: dash ≈ ⅛ teaspoon, pinch ≈ ⅟₁₆ teaspoon, smidgen ≈ ⅟₃₂ teaspoon. Some spice-measuring spoon sets are actually labeled with these amounts.
What does a number sign (#) mean in a recipe?
Pounds. "2# chicken" means 2 pounds of chicken. It appears mostly in professional and older American recipes.