Two cups to a pint — and it is exact
In the US system a pint is defined as exactly 2 cups, so halving the cups gives the pints with nothing to round. One US cup is 236.6 mL and a US pint is 473.2 mL — double, as expected.
Cups to pints at a glance
| US cups | US pints | Millilitres |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | 0.5 pt | 237 mL |
| 2 cups | 1 pt | 473 mL |
| 3 cups | 1.5 pt | 710 mL |
| 4 cups | 2 pt | 946 mL |
| 6 cups | 3 pt | 1,419 mL |
| 8 cups | 4 pt | 1,893 mL |
The full US chain: 1 gallon = 8 pints = 16 cups = 128 fluid ounces.
Where US and UK pints part ways
The "2 cups per pint" rule is US-only. A UK pint holds 20 fluid ounces to the US pint's 16, so following a British recipe with US cups leaves you roughly 20% short.
A UK pint is about 20% larger than a US pint, which is why it takes 2.27 cups rather than a clean 2.
Common questions
How many cups are in a pint?
Exactly 2 US cups make 1 US pint. It is a defined figure, not a rounded one. A UK (Imperial) pint is larger and works out to about 2.27 Imperial cups.
How do I convert cups to pints?
Divide the number of cups by 2. Six cups is 3 pints; three cups is 1.5 pints. To go the other way, multiply pints by 2.
Is a US pint the same as a UK pint?
No. A US pint is 473 mL (16 fluid ounces) and a UK pint is 568 mL (20 fluid ounces), about 20% larger. British recipes that say "a pint" mean the bigger one, so check the origin before you pour.
