How many fluid ounces in one pint depends on which pint you mean: a US pint holds 16 US fluid ounces, while a UK (imperial) pint holds 20 imperial fluid ounces. The gap looks like four ounces on paper, but because the two ounces are also different sizes, the real difference is about 95 millilitres, or a good mouthful and a half.
Key takeaways
- US pint = 16 US fl oz = about 473 ml.
- Imperial pint = 20 imperial fl oz = about 568 ml.
- The US fluid ounce (about 29.6 ml) is larger than the imperial one (about 28.4 ml), so 20 imperial ounces is roughly 19.2 US ounces.
- When a recipe is unclear, convert to millilitres and measure in a jug marked in ml.
The short answer in one table
Most confusion disappears once you see both systems next to each other. The figures below are rounded to the precision that matters in a kitchen.
| Measure | US pint | Imperial (UK) pint |
|---|---|---|
| Fluid ounces in the pint | 16 US fl oz | 20 imperial fl oz |
| Millilitres | about 473 ml | about 568 ml |
| Size of one fluid ounce | about 29.57 ml | about 28.41 ml |
| Same volume in US fl oz | 16 | about 19.2 |
| Pints in a quart | 2 | 2 |
| Pints in a gallon | 8 | 8 |
Why a US pint and a UK pint are not the same
Both pints are an eighth of a gallon, so the gap comes from the gallon. The United States kept a version of the old English wine gallon of 231 cubic inches. Britain went a different way with the Weights and Measures Act of 1824, which defined a single imperial gallon based on the volume of ten pounds of water. That imperial gallon came out roughly 20 per cent larger, and every unit below it, including the pint, grew with it.
The fluid ounce was then defined as a fraction of those gallons, which is why the two ounces differ. Oddly, the imperial system has more ounces per pint but each ounce is smaller, and the US system has fewer, larger ounces. If you want the full history of the unit, the Wikipedia article on the pint is a tidy overview.
Where each pint turns up in daily life
In the United States
A pint of ice cream, a pint of cream and a pint glass at an American bar are all 16 US fluid ounces, although the tub or glass may be sold by weight or marked in ounces. Home cooks seeing “1 pint” in a US recipe should think two US cups.
In the UK and Ireland
A pub pint of beer or cider is 568 ml by law, and milk is still sold in pint-based bottles in many places. Beer in cans and bottles, though, is almost always labelled in millilitres. If you want a closer look at the beer side, see our guide to what a pint of beer is in millilitres.
In Canada and elsewhere
Canada officially went metric, but older recipes and some pub traditions use the imperial pint. Australia and New Zealand sell beer in glass sizes with their own names, so do not assume a “pint” there is either of these two.
Converting a recipe step by step
- Work out the origin of the recipe. A British food writer, a UK magazine or a BBC page means imperial; an American blog or a cookbook with “cups” means US.
- Write the pint as millilitres: 473 ml for US, 568 ml for imperial.
- Multiply or divide for the quantity you need. Three-quarters of a US pint is about 355 ml; half an imperial pint is about 284 ml.
- Measure with a jug marked in millilitres, reading the line at eye level on a flat surface.
- Taste and adjust. For soups, sauces and batters a 20 per cent difference will not ruin the dish, but it matters in bread dough, custard and anything set with gelatine.
Handy conversions for half and quarter pints
Small measures cause the most arithmetic mistakes. A half US pint is 8 US fluid ounces, which is exactly one US cup. A half imperial pint is 10 imperial fluid ounces, about 284 ml, which many British recipes call “a quarter litre, near enough”. For the half-pint case in detail, our post on how many ounces are in a half pint goes through the US, UK and cooking answers.
There is also a third measure called the dry pint, used for berries and tomatoes in US shops. It is about 18.6 US fluid ounces and is a separate beast, covered in our dry pint explainer.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Mixing weight and volume ounces. A fluid ounce measures space; an ounce on kitchen scales measures weight. A fluid ounce of water weighs close to an ounce, but a fluid ounce of honey weighs more and a fluid ounce of flour weighs far less.
- Using a US measuring cup for a UK pint. Two US cups fall short of an imperial pint by about 95 ml.
- Trusting an old jug. Vintage British jugs are often marked in imperial ounces on one side and millilitres on the other. Check which scale you are reading.
- Assuming the label tells you. “Pint” on an imported product is sometimes just a marketing name. Look for the millilitre figure.
Frequently asked questions
How many fluid ounces are in a US pint?
There are 16 US fluid ounces in a US liquid pint, which equals two US cups or about 473 millilitres.
How many ounces are in a UK pint?
An imperial pint has 20 imperial fluid ounces and measures about 568 ml. In US fluid ounces that is about 19.2.
Is a pint of water a pound?
The old rhyme says a pint of water weighs a pound and a quarter, which fits the imperial pint (about 1.25 pounds). A US pint of water weighs a little over a pound, around 1.04 pounds.
Which pint do I use for a British recipe in the US?
Use 568 ml for each imperial pint. That is about 2.4 US cups, so measure two cups plus a generous 3 tablespoons or, better, use a metric jug.
Are fluid ounces and ounces the same?
No. Fluid ounces measure volume, while ounces on scales measure weight. They only line up closely for water and similar thin liquids. The US standards body NIST publishes the official unit definitions if you ever need the exact values.
Conclusion
Remember 16 for a US pint and 20 for a UK pint, then remember that the ounces themselves differ. When precision matters, skip ounces entirely and work in millilitres, because 473 and 568 are the numbers that never change with the accent of the recipe.
Key takeaways about how many fluid ounces in one pint
Here is a short summary of how many fluid ounces in one pint so you can find the main points quickly.
- How many fluid ounces in one pint depends on which pint you mean: a US pint holds 16 US fluid ounces, while a UK (imperial) pint holds 20 imperial fluid ounces.
- Most confusion disappears once you see both systems next to each other.
- Both pints are an eighth of a gallon, so the gap comes from the gallon.
- The fluid ounce was then defined as a fraction of those gallons, which is why the two ounces differ.
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For general background, you can look up how many fluid ounces in one pint on Wikipedia.
