A ladle is a type of cooking implement used for soup, stew, or other foods. It is a long-handled utensil with a cup-shaped bowl for dipping or conveying liquids. Although designs vary, a typical ladle has a long handle terminating in a deep bowl, frequently with the bowl oriented at an angle to the handle to facilitate lifting liquid out of a pot or other vessel and conveying it to a bowl). Some ladles involve a point on the side of the basin to allow for finer stream when pouring the liquid; however, this can create difficulty for left-handed users, as it is easier to pour towards oneself. Thus, many of these ladles feature such pinches on both sides). Ladles are usually made of the same stainless steel alloys as other kitchen utensils, but they can be made of aluminum, silver, plastics, melamine resin, wood, bamboo, or other materials). Ladles are made in a variety of sizes depending upon use; for example, the smaller sizes of less than 5 inches (130 mm) in length are used for sauces or condiments, while extra-large sizes of more than 15 inches (380 mm) in length are used for soup or punch).

In addition to their use in cooking, ladles are also a part of religious rituals in many cultures. For example, in a Japanese temple, a wooden ladle known as hishaku is used in performing chozu, a ritual required before entering the temple, signifying self-purification).