How many cups is 120 mL?

120 mL = 0.51 cup

About 1/2 US cup · 4.06 fl oz · 8.1 Tbsp · metric cups: 0.48

Measure with: about 1/2 cup · or spoons only: 8 Tbsp

Converter

120 mL = 0.51 cup

Fluid ounces
4.06 fl oz
Cups
≈ 1/2 (0.507)
Tablespoons
8.12
Teaspoons
24.3
Milliliters
120 mL
Measure with
about 1/2 cup
Spoons only
8 Tbsp
Other cup standards

US cups: 0.507 · nutrition-label cups (240 mL): 0.5 · metric cups (250 mL): 0.48 · UK fluid ounces: 4.22

US customary cup = 236.6 mL

Treat 120 mL as 1/2 cup. A US half cup is 118 mL, so the gap is under 2 mL, less than half a teaspoon. On a liquid measuring cup, use the 4 fl oz line (120 mL is 4.06 fl oz).

The number comes from US nutrition labels, which use a 240 mL cup, so 1/2 cup prints as 120 mL. Recipes converted from US cups to metric often use the same rounding.

A recipe built on 250 mL metric cups would call its half cup 125 mL instead. Both are close enough to a US 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp) for cooking and baking.

Milliliters to US cups and metric cups
mLUS cupsAboutFluid ouncesTablespoonsMetric cups (250 mL)
5 mL0.0200.170.30.02
10 mL0.0400.340.70.04
15 mL0.061/80.5110.06
30 mL0.131/81.0120.12
50 mL0.211/41.693.40.2
60 mL0.251/42.034.10.24
80 mL0.341/32.715.40.32
100 mL0.423/83.386.80.4
120 mL0.511/24.068.10.48
125 mL0.531/24.238.50.5
150 mL0.635/85.0710.10.6
175 mL0.743/45.9211.80.7
200 mL0.857/86.7613.50.8
250 mL1.0618.4516.91
300 mL1.271 1/410.1420.31.2
330 mL1.391 3/811.1622.31.32
350 mL1.481 1/211.8323.71.4
375 mL1.591 5/812.6825.41.5
400 mL1.691 2/313.5327.11.6
450 mL1.91 7/815.2230.41.8
500 mL2.112 1/816.9133.82
600 mL2.542 1/220.2940.62.4
700 mL2.96323.6747.32.8
750 mL3.173 1/825.3650.73
800 mL3.383 3/827.0554.13.2
1000 mL4.234 1/433.8167.64

Questions

Is 120 mL half a cup?

Yes, for kitchen purposes. A US 1/2 cup is 118 mL, and US nutrition labels round it to 120 mL.

How many ounces is 120 mL?

4.06 fl oz, so about 4 fluid ounces.

How many tablespoons is 120 mL?

About 8 Tbsp (8.1), the same as 1/2 cup.

By Alton Vieira · Updated . Sources: US customary units: NIST Handbook 44 · nutrition-label cup: FDA 21 CFR 101.9. How we calculate.