1 Cup Water in Millilitres
1 cup of water is 236.6 ml and weighs 237 g (poured, USDA). The reference liquid for all volume-to-weight conversion. All the figures on this page are approximate conversions based on the USDA value, so when a recipe really matters, verify with a kitchen scale.
Liquids are the easiest ingredients to convert, because a liquid fills its container completely and leaves no air gaps. One US cup is 236.6 ml, and the weight follows the density of the liquid: water is the reference at 237 g per cup, and most kitchen liquids sit within a few grams of that. This page gives you the exact millilitres and grams for every amount from a quarter cup to four cups.
Why millilitres and grams are two different answers
Millilitres measure space and grams measure mass, and for liquids the two are close cousins but not twins. One US cup is 236.6 ml, and water weighs 237 g in that space — the two numbers are almost identical only because a millilitre of water weighs almost exactly a gram. Other liquids are close to water but not equal: juices and milk are a little heavier, vinegar and coffee sit right on it. The difference is small, usually a few grams per cup, but in a large batch it adds up, and in baking a few grams of liquid change a batter. The table below gives you both figures, so you can use whichever your recipe asks for.
Water cups to millilitres conversion table
| Cups | Millilitres | Grams | Tablespoons |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 59.1 ml | 59.2 g | 4 tbsp |
| 1/3 cup | 78.9 ml | 79 g | 5.3 tbsp |
| 1/2 cup | 118.3 ml | 118.5 g | 8 tbsp |
| 2/3 cup | 157.7 ml | 158 g | 10.7 tbsp |
| 3/4 cup | 177.4 ml | 177.8 g | 12 tbsp |
| 1 cup | 236.6 ml | 237 g | 16 tbsp |
| 2 cups | 473.2 ml | 474 g | 32 tbsp |
| 3 cups | 709.8 ml | 711 g | 48 tbsp |
| 4 cups | 946.4 ml | 948 g | 64 tbsp |
The table covers the amounts recipes actually ask for, from a quarter cup up to four cups. One tablespoon of water is about 14.8 g and 14.8 ml, which is handy when a recipe calls for a spoonful rather than a cup: divide the cup weight by 16 and you have the tablespoon weight. Remember that the millilitre column never changes — 1 cup is always 236.6 ml — while the gram column depends on the USDA density of 237 g per cup, measured poured. If your recipe was written in grams, read the gram column; if it was written in cups or millilitres, read the millilitre column.
How much is 100 ml, 250 ml and 500 ml of water?
| Millilitres | Cups | Grams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 ml | 0.4 cups | 100.2 g |
| 250 ml | 1.1 cups | 250.4 g |
| 500 ml | 2.1 cups | 500.8 g |
Recipes written in metric units often call for round millilitre amounts rather than cups, so this table bridges the two. 250 ml of water is just over a cup — 1.1 cups — and weighs 250.4 g, while 500 ml is 2.1 cups and 500.8 g. A standard measuring jug usually has both millilitre and cup markings, so you can pour to either scale, but the gram column is the one to use on a scale. Note that 100 ml is 0.4 of a cup, which is why metric recipes rarely line up neatly with cup measures.
Worked examples
Every kind of cooking calling for 2 cups of water
A every kind of cooking recipe that calls for 2 cups of water needs 473.2 ml, which weighs 474 g. That is the figure to measure: pour 473.2 ml into a liquid jug, or weigh 474 g straight into the bowl. Because water is used for every kind of cooking, baking and drinks. the amount matters — too little and the result is flat or bland, too much and the balance of the dish tips. Weighing 474 g removes the guesswork entirely, and it is the only way to repeat the recipe exactly next time.
Baking calling for half a cup of water
A baking recipe that calls for half a cup of water needs 118.3 ml, which weighs 118.5 g. That is the figure to measure: pour 118.3 ml into a liquid jug, or weigh 118.5 g straight into the bowl. Because water is used for every kind of cooking, baking and drinks. the amount matters — too little and the result is flat or bland, too much and the balance of the dish tips. Weighing 118.5 g removes the guesswork entirely, and it is the only way to repeat the recipe exactly next time.
Drinks calling for 3 cups of water
A drinks recipe that calls for 3 cups of water needs 709.8 ml, which weighs 711 g. That is the figure to measure: pour 709.8 ml into a liquid jug, or weigh 711 g straight into the bowl. Because water is used for every kind of cooking, baking and drinks. the amount matters — too little and the result is flat or bland, too much and the balance of the dish tips. Weighing 711 g removes the guesswork entirely, and it is the only way to repeat the recipe exactly next time.
Scaling works the same way in both directions. Double the recipe and 3 cups becomes 1419.6 ml, or 1422 g. Halve it and you need 354.9 ml, or 355.5 g. When you scale, always scale by weight if the original recipe was written in grams, and by volume if it was written in cups — mixing the two mid-recipe is how scaling errors creep in. And remember that a US cup is 236.6 ml, while a metric cup is 250 ml: if you are following a recipe from Australia, New Zealand or South Africa, one cup means 250 ml, which is 250.4 g of water, not 237 g. Check which cup your recipe uses before you convert.
How the weight was measured
Poured means the ingredient is poured into a liquid measuring jug and read at eye level at the meniscus, or weighed straight into the bowl on a scale. Liquids settle flat, so a poured cup is far more repeatable than a cup of any dry ingredient.
The source for the 237 g figure is USDA, and the confidence in the value is high. USDA publishes a standard ingredient weight chart that recipe developers use as a reference, and this page follows it exactly rather than averaging across sources, because an average of two different measuring methods is a number that matches nobody's cup.
There is a dispute worth knowing about. One US cup is 236.6 ml, so water weighs 237 g. King Arthur rounds water to 227 g; we use the exact 237 g. This page follows the USDA value of 237 g per cup, measured poured, rather than averaging across sources, because an average of two different measuring methods is a number that matches nobody's cup.
Common mistakes with water
- Reading the jug from above. A liquid jug read from above looks fuller than it is. Set it on a flat surface and read the meniscus at eye level.
- Using a dry cup for a liquid. Dry cups are meant to be filled to the brim and levelled, which is wrong for liquids. Use a jug with a spout and clear markings.
- Measuring a hot liquid at the boil. Hot liquids expand slightly and steam fogs the jug. Let the liquid cool a little, or weigh it instead.
- Assuming every liquid weighs what water weighs. Most kitchen liquids are close to water, but not equal. Milk and juice are heavier, oil is lighter. Use the gram column when the recipe is precise.
Storage and handling
No special storage needed. The reference liquid for all volume-to-weight conversion. Keeping water stored properly also keeps its weight per cup stable: an ingredient that has absorbed moisture from the air weighs more per cup than a dry one, so a sealed container is not just about freshness, it is about measurement accuracy too. If a container has been open for months in a humid kitchen, the first thing to do before a precise bake is to weigh the ingredient rather than trusting the cup. water is used for every kind of cooking, baking and drinks. and it is worth keeping a note of the 237 g per cup figure on the container, so the conversion is always to hand.
Frequently asked questions
How many millilitres is 1 cup of water?
1 cup of water is 236.6 ml. That is the fixed volume of one US customary cup, and it is the same for every ingredient on this site: the cup does not change, only the weight inside it does. If your recipe is from a metric country, note that a metric cup is 250 ml, which is a different measure — check which cup the recipe means before converting.
How many grams is 1 cup of water?
1 cup of water weighs 237 g, measured poured according to USDA. That is the figure the conversion table on this page is built on, and it is the value to use when a recipe gives weights. All the gram figures here are approximate, so when a bake really matters, verify with a kitchen scale.
Is 1 cup of water always 236.6 ml?
Yes, as long as the recipe means a US customary cup. One US cup is 236.6 ml by definition, whatever is in it. The confusion comes from the metric cup, which is 250 ml, and from the old imperial cup. If a recipe does not say which cup it uses, a US recipe almost always means the 236.6 ml cup, while a recipe from Australia or New Zealand usually means the 250 ml metric cup.
How do I measure water without a scale?
Poured means the ingredient is poured into a liquid measuring jug and read at eye level at the meniscus, or weighed straight into the bowl on a scale. Liquids settle flat, so a poured cup is far more repeatable than a cup of any dry ingredient. That gives the closest result to 237 g per cup, but it is still an estimate: the honest answer is that a scale is the only way to know the exact weight, and a basic digital kitchen scale costs less than a bag of good flour.
Does water weigh the same as water?
No. One cup of water weighs 237 g, which is the same weight as water, which weighs 237 g per cup. That is why you cannot convert water by assuming a millilitre weighs a gram: for water the shortcut works, but for water it would be off by 0 g per cup, and the error grows with the size of the recipe.
Related conversions
Use the cups to millilitres converter or the millilitres to cups converter for instant answers, or the liquid volume converter for other units. For the weight of the same ingredient, see Water in grams, 237 g of water in cups, and water by the tablespoon. Browse the units hub or the cups to grams hub for the full ingredient list. Other pages in this series: Vanilla Extract in millilitres, Lemon Juice in millilitres. More tools: cups to grams converter and weight converter. See also our disclaimer about approximate conversions.