Recipe Measurement Abbreviations and Conversions - dummies (2024)

Recipes are full of culinary codes like abbreviations and weird measurements (how big is a pinch?). Deciphering between the different cooking abbreviations and their proper units of measurement can help make sure your dish comes out exactly as planned. You can find common abbreviations for measurements here, as well as conversions of various ingredient measurements.

Common cooking abbreviations

Although some recipes spell out measurements, a lot of cookbooks use abbreviations. Oftentimes, different books will use different abbreviations, which can cause confusion when putting together a dish. For example, the tablespoon and teaspoon abbreviations may look very similar and can be mistaken for one another:
  • a lowercase t can stand for teaspoon
  • an uppercase T can stand for tablespoon
Adding a tablespoon (T) of garlic when the recipe only requires a teaspoon (t) can spell disaster!

Find the common cooking abbreviations and their corresponding units of measurement below:

Common Abbreviations for Measurements in Cooking

Cooking Abbreviation(s)Unit of Measurement
C, ccup
ggram
kgkilogram
L, lliter
lbpound
mL, mlmilliliter
ozounce
ptpint
t, tspteaspoon
T, TB, Tbl, Tbsptablespoon

Common cooking conversion measurements

Now that you have the abbreviations all sorted out, it’s time to learn the most common conversion measurements in cooking. Understanding these cooking conversions can help you quickly follow recipes, convert based on your available cooking equipment, or even allow you to do quick math to slightly alter recipes according to your liking.

This table lists common conversion measurements in cooking.

Conversion Measurements in Cooking

Unit of Measurement :Equals:
Pinch or dashless than 1/8 teaspoon
3 teaspoons1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons1 fluid ounce
1 jigger1 1/2 fluid ounces
4 tablespoons1/4 cup
5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon1/3 cup
12 tablespoons3/4 cup
16 tablespoons1 cup
1 cup8 fluid ounces
2 cups1 pint or 16 fluid ounces
2 pints1 quart or 32 fluid ounces
4 quarts1 gallon

About This Article

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Recipe Measurement Abbreviations and Conversions  - dummies (2024)

FAQs

What does T and T mean in recipes? ›

teaspoon (also t or tsp.) tablespoon (also T, tbl., tbs., or tbsp.) fluid ounce (also fl oz) gill (about 1/2 cup)

What are the 4 types of measurements in cooking? ›

Teaspoons, tablespoons, and cups are common volume measurements found in recipes. The two most commonly used units of weight measurement for cooking are the ounce and the pound.

What is the abbreviation for TSP and TBSP? ›

A teaspoon (abbreviated as tsp.) and a tablespoon (tbsp. or tbs.) are both units of measurement (volume) typically used in cooking and baking. A tablespoon is bigger: one tablespoon equals three teaspoons (1 tbsp = 3 tsp).

What are the acronyms for metric conversions? ›

The acronym helps the student remember the order of metric units from largest to smallest. Kill (kilo), Him (hecto), Dead (deca), But (basic unit), Don't (deci) Call (centi), Me (milli). Kangaroos Hopping Down Mountains Drinking Chocolate Milk can also be used.

What do the letters in the acronym meals mean? ›

Introduction. In the world of international development, the acronym MEAL holds significant weight. MEAL stands for Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning, and it represents a critical component of ensuring the success and impact of projects and programs in this sector.

What does the abbreviation Tbsp stand for in recipe? ›

A tablespoon (tbsp., Tbsp., Tb., or T.) is a large spoon. In many English-speaking regions, the term now refers to a large spoon used for serving; however, in some regions, it is the largest type of spoon used for eating.

What does C mean in recipes? ›

Cup = C or c. Pint = pt. Quart = qt.

References

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