What is a Tablespoon?

The tablespoon equals exactly 15 milliliters (international culinary standard) or about 14.787 mL (US strict definition based on ½ fluid ounce). The tablespoon is a near-universal cooking measure for ingredients larger than a teaspoon but smaller than a cup — typical uses include oils, sauces, and condiments. The Australian tablespoon is uniquely 20 mL (4 teaspoons rather than 3), an oddity in international recipe interpretation. Standard recipes assume 1 tbsp = 15 mL globally except in Australia and the United States (where it is sometimes 14.787 mL but commonly rounded to 15 mL). The tablespoon relates to the teaspoon (3 tsp = 1 tbsp), the cup (16 tbsp = 1 cup), the fluid ounce (2 tbsp = 1 US fl oz), and the milliliter (1 tbsp = 15 mL conventional). Measuring spoons are calibrated to the local convention.

Visual reference for how the tablespoon relates to other volume units. Each row links to the full converter for that pair.

See all 15 volume units in matrix view →

• Cooking recipes worldwide (dominantly US 15 ml)
• Nutrition-label serving sizes
• Over-the-counter liquid-medication doses

• ✓US tbsp = 15 ml (practical); 14.787 ml (legal); 3 teaspoons in any system.
• ✓Australian tablespoon = 20 ml — 33% larger. Adjust when using Australian recipes.
• ✓For accurate cooking, weigh dry ingredients rather than measuring by tablespoon.

• ✗Using an Australian tablespoon (20 ml) for a US recipe (15 ml) — 33% overshoot.
• ✗Treating teaspoon and tablespoon as interchangeable — tablespoon is 3× larger.
• ✗Using a dinner spoon from the cutlery drawer as a tablespoon — they vary widely.