In the US and parts of Canada, a tablespoon is the largest type of spoon used for eating from a bowl. In the UK, Europe and most Commonwealth countries, a tablespoon is a type of large spoon usually used for serving. In countries where a tablespoon is a serving spoon, the nearest equivalent to the US tablespoon is either the dessert spoon or the soup spoon.A tablespoonful, nominally the capacity of one tablespoon, is commonly used as a measure of volume in cooking. It is abbreviated as T, tb, tbs, tbsp, tblsp, or tblspn. The capacity of ordinary tablespoons is not regulated by law and is subject to considerable variation.In the US one tablespoon (measurement unit) is approximately 15 mL; the capacity of an actual tablespoon (dining utensil) ranges from 7 mL to 14 mL. In Australia one tablespoon (measurement unit) is 20 mL.