meaurement converter. I half pound equals how many cups
16 ounces = 1 pound, one cup is 8 ounces, so 1/2 pound.    But that's not the whole story!    That's why a pint has 16 fluid ounces. A fluid ounce is, like a cup â¦ , a unit of volume, but one fluid ounce of WATER weighs an ounce, a pint of WATER weighs 16 ounces = 1 pound.    This works ONLY for water! 16oz., a cup = 8oz. so....1lb. = 2c. The above only works if you're you're using cups and pounds for cooking. For most recipes the things you would measure by cups (flour, sugar, etc.) all have about the same density as water. The old saying a pint's a pound arose from that happy coincidence.