What’s the Abbreviation for Tablespoon? Tbsp, Tsp and Cooking Chart

Last updated October 11, 2026

What’s the abbreviation for tablespoon? It is tbsp, Tbsp or a capital T. Teaspoon is shortened to tsp or a lowercase t. Both forms appear in guides from Clemson Cooperative Extension and Oklahoma State University 4H. The case of the letter matters, because a tablespoon holds 3 times as much as a teaspoon.

Abbreviation for Tablespoon and Teaspoon

Recipes shorten spoon names to save space, and the two spoons look alike in short form. This table shows every common version. The capital letter rule is the one most cooks need to remember.

Spoon	Common abbreviations	Size (US)
Tablespoon	tbsp, Tbsp, T, tbs	3 teaspoons, about 14.8 ml
Teaspoon	tsp, t	1/3 tablespoon, about 4.9 ml

Tablespoon: Tbsp or a Capital T

The full abbreviation for tablespoon is tbsp, often written with a capital T as Tbsp. Many recipes and cookbooks shorten it further to a single capital T. Some recipes use tbs, which means the same thing.

What Is the Abbreviation for Teaspoon

What is the abbreviation for teaspoon? It is tsp, or a single lowercase t. A small t always means teaspoon, never tablespoon. Some recipes add a period, as in tsp. or t., which does not change the meaning.

Big T and Little t

A capital T is a tablespoon, and a lowercase t is a teaspoon. Mixing them up triples or cuts the amount by two thirds. For salt, baking soda or spices, that mistake can ruin a whole dish.

Cooking Abbreviations Chart

This chart covers the abbreviations found in US recipes, food labels and cookbooks. Most come from cooperative extension guides at Clemson and Oklahoma State. Metric symbols follow the international system used by NIST.

Abbreviation	Meaning	Type
t, tsp	teaspoon	Volume
T, Tbsp, tbsp, tbs	tablespoon	Volume
c	cup	Volume
fl oz	fluid ounce	Volume
pt	pint	Volume
qt	quart	Volume
gal	gallon	Volume
ml, mL	milliliter	Volume
l, L	liter	Volume
oz	ounce	Weight
lb, pd, #	pound	Weight
g, gm	gram	Weight
kg	kilogram	Weight
mg	milligram	Weight
pkg	package	Count
doz	dozen	Count
sq	square	Count
lg, med	large, medium	Size
°F	degrees Fahrenheit	Temperature
°C	degrees Celsius	Temperature
hr, min, sec	hour, minute, second	Time
f.g.	few grains	Amount

Ounce Abbreviation in Cooking

The ounce abbreviation in cooking is oz, and it measures weight. Fluid ounce is written fl oz, and it measures volume. A cup holds 8 fluid ounces, but a cup of flour weighs only about 4 1/4 ounces.

Spoon and Cup Equivalents

Abbreviations are only half the story, since you also need to know how the units relate. These equivalents come from Clemson Cooperative Extension. The ml values follow FDA label rounding and the exact NIST cup.

Measure	Equals	ML
1 tsp	1/3 Tbsp	about 5 ml
1 Tbsp	3 tsp	about 15 ml
2 Tbsp	1 fl oz	about 30 ml
4 Tbsp	1/4 c	about 59 ml
5 1/3 Tbsp	1/3 c	about 79 ml
16 Tbsp	1 c	about 237 ml
2 c	1 pt	about 473 ml
2 pt	1 qt	about 946 ml
4 qt	1 gal	about 3.79 L

Why Tablespoon Size Matters

A US tablespoon holds about 14.8 ml, and food labels round it to 15 ml. An Australian tablespoon holds 20 ml, which equals 4 teaspoons. Recipes from Australia may need less of strong ingredients when you use a US spoon.

Recipe Terms: Pinch, Dash, Heaping and Scant

Some recipe words describe amounts too small or loose for a measuring spoon. Sources do not fully agree on their size, so the table shows both common ranges. Use them as a guide, then taste as you go.

Term	Meaning	Source
Pinch	1/8 tsp or less	Clemson
Pinch	close to 1/16 tsp	University of Illinois Extension
Dash, dry	1/4 tsp or less	Clemson
Dash, dry	between 1/16 and 1/8 tsp	University of Illinois Extension
Dash, liquid	about 3 drops	University of Illinois Extension
Heaping	mounded over the rim of the spoon	University of Illinois Extension
Scant	just barely less than the amount	University of Illinois Extension

Abbreviation for Heaping in Cooking

Heaping has no standard abbreviation, so recipes spell it out, as in 1 heaping Tbsp. Some write heaped instead, which means the same thing. When a recipe does not say heaping, level the spoon flat.

Level Is the Default

Unless a recipe says heaping or scant, every spoon and cup measure means level. Fill the spoon, then sweep the top flat with a knife. Charts on this site use level measures.

Tips to Avoid Abbreviation Mixups

Most measuring mistakes come from misreading T and t or oz and fl oz. These habits catch them before they reach the bowl. They take only a second to check.

Read the case. A capital T is a tablespoon, and a small t is a teaspoon.
Check the type of ounce. Oz means weight, while fl oz means volume.
Look at the amount. 1 T of salt in a small batch of cookies is a sign to check again.
Write clear notes. Use tbsp and tsp in your own recipes, since they are hard to confuse.
Note the country. UK and Australian recipes may use different spoon and cup sizes.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the abbreviation for tablespoon?

It is tbsp, Tbsp or a capital T. Some recipes use tbs instead. All of these mean the same spoon size.

What is the abbreviation for teaspoon?

The abbreviation for teaspoon is tsp or a lowercase t. A period after it, as in tsp., is optional. It never uses a capital T.

Is a capital T a tablespoon or a teaspoon?

A capital T is a tablespoon. A lowercase t is a teaspoon. One tablespoon equals 3 teaspoons.

What does c mean in a recipe?

A lowercase c means cup. One US cup holds 8 fluid ounces, or about 237 ml. It equals 16 tablespoons.

What is the difference between oz and fl oz?

Oz is an ounce of weight, measured on a scale. Fl oz is a fluid ounce of volume, measured in a cup. Water is close for both, but most foods are not.

What does lb mean in cooking?

Lb means pound, a unit of weight. One pound equals 16 ounces, or about 454 grams. Some recipes use the # sign for pound.

How many teaspoons are in a tablespoon?

There are 3 teaspoons in 1 tablespoon. There are 16 tablespoons in a cup. That makes 48 teaspoons in a cup.

What does f.g. mean in a recipe?

F.g. means few grains. It is listed in the Oklahoma State 4H abbreviation guide. Use only a few grains of the dry ingredient it names.

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About This Page

This page was written for home cooks who read recipes from many sources. Each abbreviation for tablespoon and teaspoon comes from cooperative extension guides at Clemson University and Oklahoma State University. Recipe terms come from the University of Illinois Extension, and ml values follow FDA and NIST. We review the page every quarter and show the date at the top.