I know that there are several types of counters of spoons/cups.

For example, a counter for cup is はい while another counter is カップ。

Also さじ and はい are also counters for spoons. What exactly are the differences
between these counters?
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-13T01:47:24.327
29197
2015-11-13T02:58:31.373
11697
question
word-choice counters
Difference in counters for spoons
杯{はい} is not really a counter for vessels or containers like a cup or a spoon,
but for their contents, ie. cupfuls or spoonfuls.

So if you were ordering two cups of coffee, you would use 2杯, if you wanted an
empty cup to pour yourself coffee from the pot, you would use カップ.

The character/word 杯 itself might also be used more figuratively in reference
to the "fullness" as explained
[here](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/5872/11104).
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-13T02:03:22.840
29199
2015-11-13T02:47:59.867
2017-04-13T12:43:44.207
-1
11104
29197
answer
To count the number of spoons themselves in everyday life, **本【ほん】** is almost
always used (eg 5本のスプーン). さじ is rarely used for this purpose today, but
occasionally we see "ひとさじのスプーン" used as a bit poetic or literary expression.

To measure the amount of liquid/sugar/etc using a spoon, 杯【はい】 is mainly used
(eg スプーン3杯分の砂糖), and さじ is sometimes used alternatively (eg 砂糖3さじ).
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-11-13T02:58:31.373
29204
2015-11-13T02:58:31.373
5010
29197
answer