All 78 Tarot Card Meanings: The Complete Reference Guide

This is the guide you bookmark. Every tarot card, every meaning, all in one place.

Whether you’re mid-reading and need a quick refresher, or you’re learning the cards from scratch, this page covers all 78 tarot card meanings — the 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana — with upright and reversed interpretations.

I’ve kept each entry concise but useful. No fluff, just the meanings you actually need during a reading.

How to use this guide

During a reading: Search for the card you drew. Read the upright keywords first. If the card came out reversed, check the reversed line. Use the brief description to connect the card to your question.

For learning: Work through one section at a time. Start with the Major Arcana, then explore one suit per week. Don’t try to memorize — let the meanings absorb through repeated exposure and practice.

Quick tip: If a card’s meaning feels confusing in context, focus on the keywords that resonate most with your question. Not every keyword applies to every situation.

The Major Arcana

The 22 Major Arcana cards represent life’s big themes — spiritual lessons, turning points, and the forces that shape who you are. When these cards appear, pay attention. Something significant is at play.

0. The Fool

Upright: New beginnings, innocence, spontaneity, free spirit, leap of faith. Reversed: Recklessness, fear of the unknown, holding back, poor judgment. The start of every journey. The Fool steps off the cliff trusting that the path will appear. Upright, it’s an invitation to begin something new without overthinking. Reversed, it warns against naivety or refusing to take the leap.

I. The Magician

Upright: Manifestation, skill, willpower, resourcefulness, focused action. Reversed: Manipulation, untapped potential, wasted talent, trickery. You have everything you need. The Magician’s table holds all four suit symbols — the question is whether you’ll use them. Reversed, the tools are there but you’re not using them, or someone is using them against you.

II. The High Priestess

Upright: Intuition, sacred knowledge, mystery, inner voice, the subconscious. Reversed: Secrets, repressed intuition, ignoring gut feelings, hidden information. The answer is already inside you. Stop analyzing and start listening. Reversed, you’re ignoring what you already know, or someone is withholding information.

III. The Empress

Upright: Abundance, fertility, nature, nurturing, creativity, sensuality. Reversed: Creative block, dependence, neglected self-care, smothering. Everything grows in the Empress’s garden. Creative projects, relationships, literal fertility — all flourish. Reversed, the well has run dry because you’ve been pouring out without refilling.

IV. The Emperor

Upright: Authority, structure, stability, fatherhood, leadership, control. Reversed: Rigidity, tyranny, lack of discipline, domination. Order and structure. The Emperor builds systems that last. Upright, it’s about taking charge with wisdom. Reversed, control becomes oppression — either yours over others, or others’ over you.

V. The Hierophant

Upright: Tradition, spiritual guidance, conformity, institutions, mentorship. Reversed: Rebellion, unconventionality, new approaches, personal beliefs. The established path. Schools, religions, traditions, and the wisdom they carry. Reversed, it’s time to question the rules and find your own truth.

VI. The Lovers

Upright: Love, harmony, partnerships, alignment, choices, values. Reversed: Disharmony, imbalance, misaligned values, difficult choices. Not just romance — it’s about choosing what aligns with your deepest values. Upright, a genuine connection or important choice. Reversed, a relationship or decision is out of alignment.

VII. The Chariot

Upright: Determination, willpower, victory, control, ambition. Reversed: Lack of direction, aggression, scattered energy, loss of control. Forward momentum through sheer will. The Chariot doesn’t ask if the path is easy — it charges ahead anyway. Reversed, the drive is there but the steering is off.

VIII. Strength

Upright: Courage, inner strength, patience, compassion, soft power. Reversed: Self-doubt, weakness, insecurity, raw emotion. True strength is gentle. The woman doesn’t wrestle the lion — she closes its mouth with calm confidence. Reversed, you’re doubting your own power or trying to force what needs patience.

IX. The Hermit

Upright: Soul-searching, introspection, solitude, inner guidance, wisdom. Reversed: Isolation, loneliness, withdrawal, lost direction. Time alone to find your own light. The Hermit retreats not to hide but to see clearly. Reversed, healthy solitude has become unhealthy isolation.

X. Wheel of Fortune

Upright: Change, cycles, fate, turning point, luck, destiny. Reversed: Bad luck, resistance to change, broken cycles, stagnation. The wheel turns. What goes up comes down; what’s down will rise again. Upright, change is coming and it’s in your favor. Reversed, you’re fighting the natural cycle or stuck in a repeating pattern.

XI. Justice

Upright: Fairness, truth, cause and effect, accountability, law. Reversed: Injustice, dishonesty, avoiding accountability, bias. What you put out comes back. Justice weighs actions and delivers consequences — good or bad. Reversed, something unfair is happening, or you’re not being honest with yourself.

XII. The Hanged Man

Upright: Surrender, new perspective, letting go, pause, sacrifice. Reversed: Resistance, stalling, indecision, unnecessary sacrifice. Stop trying and start seeing. The Hanged Man’s voluntary suspension creates a radical shift in perspective. Reversed, you’re stuck because you won’t let go of control.

XIII. Death

Upright: Transformation, endings, change, transition, letting go. Reversed: Resistance to change, fear of endings, stagnation, clinging. Something must end for something new to begin. Death is rarely literal — it’s the closing of one chapter so the next can open. Reversed, you’re holding onto what needs to be released.

XIV. Temperance

Upright: Balance, moderation, patience, harmony, purpose. Reversed: Imbalance, excess, lack of patience, misalignment. The art of the middle path. Temperance blends opposites into something sustainable. Reversed, you’ve gone too far in one direction and need to recalibrate.

XV. The Devil

Upright: Shadow self, attachment, addiction, materialism, bondage. Reversed: Release, breaking free, reclaiming power, detachment. The chains are loose — you could leave anytime. The Devil shows what’s keeping you trapped, usually by your own choice. Reversed, you’re finally breaking free from a pattern, addiction, or toxic situation.

XVI. The Tower

Upright: Sudden upheaval, revelation, chaos, awakening, disruption. Reversed: Avoidance of disaster, fear of change, delayed inevitable. The structures built on false foundations come crashing down. It’s devastating but necessary — what remains is truth. Reversed, you sense the collapse coming but are trying to prevent the inevitable.

XVII. The Star

Upright: Hope, faith, renewal, inspiration, serenity, healing. Reversed: Despair, disconnection, lack of faith, discouragement. After the storm, stars. The Star is the calm after the Tower’s chaos — gentle healing, renewed purpose, quiet hope. Reversed, you’ve lost sight of hope and need to find your way back to faith.

XVIII. The Moon

Upright: Illusion, fear, anxiety, subconscious, intuition, confusion. Reversed: Release of fear, clarity, truth revealed, regained composure. Things are not what they seem. The Moon illuminates fears and illusions that distort your perception. Reversed, the fog lifts and you see the situation clearly.

XIX. The Sun

Upright: Joy, success, vitality, confidence, positivity, abundance. Reversed: Temporary sadness, overly optimistic, delayed success. The best card in the deck. Pure warmth, clarity, and celebration. Everything is illuminated. Reversed, the joy is muted — still there, but something clouds it temporarily.

XX. Judgement

Upright: Reflection, reckoning, awakening, renewal, calling. Reversed: Self-doubt, refusing the call, lack of self-awareness. The wake-up call. Judgement asks you to honestly assess your life and answer a higher calling. Reversed, you hear the call but won’t answer, or you’re judging yourself too harshly.

XXI. The World

Upright: Completion, integration, accomplishment, wholeness, travel. Reversed: Incomplete, shortcuts, delayed completion, lack of closure. The journey is complete. The World celebrates a cycle fully lived, lessons fully learned. Reversed, you’re close to the finish line but something remains unresolved.

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The Minor Arcana: Wands

Element: Fire | Themes: Passion, creativity, energy, ambition, action, drive.

Wands are the suit of doing. They represent what excites you, what motivates you, and how you channel your creative fire.

Ace of Wands — Upright: New inspiration, creative spark, potential, opportunity. Reversed: Delays, lack of motivation, missed opportunity. A match struck in the dark — a new passion is igniting.

Two of Wands — Upright: Planning, decisions, future vision, discovery. Reversed: Fear of the unknown, poor planning, indecision. The world is in your hands; now choose a direction.

Three of Wands — Upright: Expansion, progress, foresight, overseas opportunities. Reversed: Delays, obstacles, frustration with slow progress. Your ships are coming in — plans are materializing.

Four of Wands — Upright: Celebration, homecoming, harmony, community. Reversed: Lack of support, instability, cancelled plans. A moment worth celebrating — milestones, gatherings, feeling at home.

Five of Wands — Upright: Conflict, competition, tension, disagreements. Reversed: Avoiding conflict, inner tension, resolution. Five people swinging sticks at each other — it’s chaotic but not dangerous. Healthy competition or petty squabbling, depending on context.

Six of Wands — Upright: Victory, recognition, success, public acclaim. Reversed: Fall from grace, ego, lack of recognition. The victory parade. You’ve won, and people notice.

Seven of Wands — Upright: Defensiveness, standing your ground, perseverance. Reversed: Giving up, overwhelmed, feeling attacked. You’re defending your position against challengers. Hold your ground or step aside — but choose deliberately.

Eight of Wands — Upright: Speed, movement, swift action, travel, momentum. Reversed: Delays, waiting, scattered energy. Everything accelerates. Messages arrive, plans launch, momentum builds. Reversed, things slow frustratingly.

Nine of Wands — Upright: Resilience, persistence, last stand, boundaries. Reversed: Exhaustion, giving up, paranoia. You’re tired and bruised, but not beaten. One more push and you’ll make it.

Ten of Wands — Upright: Burden, overwork, responsibility, hard effort. Reversed: Delegation, releasing burden, breakdown. Carrying too much. The load is real, but ask yourself: are all these sticks actually yours?

Page of Wands — Upright: Enthusiasm, exploration, discovery, free spirit. Reversed: Lack of direction, procrastination, restlessness. The excited beginner with a new idea and the energy to chase it.

Knight of Wands — Upright: Adventure, energy, impulsiveness, passion, action. Reversed: Haste, scattered focus, delays, frustration. All gas, no brakes. Thrilling but potentially reckless.

Queen of Wands — Upright: Confidence, independence, warmth, determination. Reversed: Selfishness, jealousy, insecurity, demanding. She walks into the room and owns it. Magnetic, creative, completely herself.

King of Wands — Upright: Leadership, vision, entrepreneur, honor, bold action. Reversed: Impulsiveness, tyranny, vicious temperament. The visionary leader who inspires through example and turns ideas into empires.

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The Minor Arcana: Cups

Element: Water | Themes: Emotions, relationships, love, intuition, creativity, connection.

Cups are the suit of feeling. They cover everything that touches your heart — love, loss, joy, grief, and the connections that give life meaning.

Ace of Cups — Upright: New love, emotional awakening, compassion, creativity. Reversed: Emotional loss, blocked feelings, emptiness. An overflowing cup — the heart opening to something new and beautiful.

Two of Cups — Upright: Partnership, mutual attraction, unity, connection. Reversed: Imbalance, breakup, disharmony, self-love. Two people meeting as equals. The strongest soulmate card in the deck.

Three of Cups — Upright: Celebration, friendship, community, joy. Reversed: Overindulgence, gossip, isolation. Three friends raising their cups — pure celebration and the warmth of people who genuinely care about you.

Four of Cups — Upright: Apathy, contemplation, disconnection, missed opportunities. Reversed: Motivation returns, acceptance, awareness. Staring at three cups while ignoring the one being offered. What are you not seeing?

Five of Cups — Upright: Grief, loss, regret, disappointment, mourning. Reversed: Acceptance, moving forward, finding peace. Three cups spilled, two still standing. The card asks: can you turn around and notice what remains?

Six of Cups — Upright: Nostalgia, childhood memories, innocence, reunion. Reversed: Living in the past, unrealistic, naivety. The sweet pull of the past. Comforting, but don’t stay there too long.

Seven of Cups — Upright: Fantasy, illusion, choices, wishful thinking, imagination. Reversed: Clarity, reality check, overwhelm from choices. Seven visions float in the clouds — but which ones are real? Discernment is everything.

Eight of Cups — Upright: Walking away, disillusionment, leaving behind, seeking truth. Reversed: Fear of change, avoidance, stagnation. Sometimes the bravest thing is turning your back on what you built because it no longer nourishes you.

Nine of Cups — Upright: Wish fulfillment, satisfaction, contentment, luxury. Reversed: Dissatisfaction, greed, materialism. The “wish card.” Sit back, smile, and enjoy what you’ve created.

Ten of Cups — Upright: Happiness, harmony, family, emotional fulfillment. Reversed: Broken family, domestic conflict, misalignment. The rainbow card. Love, family, joy — the emotional happy ending.

Page of Cups — Upright: Creative opportunity, intuitive message, inner child. Reversed: Emotional immaturity, creative block, escapism. A fish pops out of a cup — the unexpected creative or emotional message.

Knight of Cups — Upright: Romance, charm, creativity in action, following the heart. Reversed: Moodiness, unrealistic expectations, jealousy. The romantic arrival. Beautiful but check whether the offer is real.

Queen of Cups — Upright: Compassion, emotional security, intuition, nurturing. Reversed: Emotional insecurity, co-dependency, manipulation. She feels everything and holds space for others without losing herself.

King of Cups — Upright: Emotional maturity, diplomacy, compassion, control. Reversed: Emotional manipulation, moodiness, coldness. Mastery over emotions — he feels deeply but isn’t ruled by feelings.

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The Minor Arcana: Swords

Element: Air | Themes: Thoughts, communication, conflict, truth, decisions, intellect.

Swords are the suit of thinking. They cut through illusion, demand honesty, and represent the battles we fight — internally and externally.

Ace of Swords — Upright: Clarity, breakthrough, new idea, truth, mental force. Reversed: Confusion, misinformation, chaos, clouded judgment. A single sword cutting through clouds — the moment everything becomes clear.

Two of Swords — Upright: Difficult decision, stalemate, avoidance, blocked emotions. Reversed: Indecision, information overload, choosing sides. Blindfolded, arms crossed, two swords balanced — a decision you’re refusing to make.

Three of Swords — Upright: Heartbreak, grief, sorrow, painful truth. Reversed: Recovery, releasing pain, forgiveness. Three swords through a heart. It hurts because it matters. The healing begins when you stop pretending it doesn’t.

Four of Swords — Upright: Rest, recovery, contemplation, restoration. Reversed: Restlessness, burnout, refusing to rest. The mandatory pause. Your mind needs silence before it can think clearly again.

Five of Swords — Upright: Conflict, defeat, winning at a cost, betrayal. Reversed: Reconciliation, moving on, making amends. Someone won the fight but lost something more important. Was it worth it?

Six of Swords — Upright: Transition, moving on, leaving troubles behind, healing. Reversed: Unfinished business, resistance to change, emotional baggage. The boat carrying you to calmer waters. The journey isn’t joyful, but it’s necessary.

Seven of Swords — Upright: Deception, strategy, sneakiness, getting away with something. Reversed: Confession, coming clean, conscience, imposter syndrome. Someone taking five swords and tiptoeing away. Are you the one sneaking — or the one being deceived?

Eight of Swords — Upright: Restriction, imprisonment, self-limiting beliefs, victimhood. Reversed: Freedom, release, new perspective, empowerment. Bound and blindfolded, surrounded by swords — but look closer. The bindings are loose. The prison is largely mental.

Nine of Swords — Upright: Anxiety, nightmares, worry, despair, overthinking. Reversed: Recovery, hope, reaching out, worst is over. The 3 AM card. Sitting up in bed, head in hands, mind spinning. The fears are real — but usually worse in your head than in reality.

Ten of Swords — Upright: Painful ending, rock bottom, betrayal, loss, crisis. Reversed: Recovery, regeneration, inevitable ending, rising again. Ten swords in the back. It’s the worst it can get — which means the only direction from here is up. Notice the sunrise on the horizon.

Page of Swords — Upright: Curiosity, new ideas, communication, vigilance. Reversed: Gossip, haste, scattered thinking. The watchful observer with a sharp mind and a sharper tongue.

Knight of Swords — Upright: Ambition, fast action, determination, intellectual pursuit. Reversed: Reckless, hasty decisions, unfocused, aggressive. Charges in headfirst. Brilliant when directed well; destructive when not.

Queen of Swords — Upright: Clear thinking, independence, honest communication, boundaries. Reversed: Coldness, bitterness, overly critical, isolation. She sees through everything and tells the truth whether you want to hear it or not.

King of Swords — Upright: Intellectual authority, truth, clear thinking, ethical leadership. Reversed: Manipulation, cruelty, abuse of power, coldness. The judge. Rational, fair, and completely unmoved by emotional manipulation.

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The Minor Arcana: Pentacles

Element: Earth | Themes: Material world, money, career, health, home, security, nature.

Pentacles are the suit of having. They deal with the physical, tangible aspects of life — money, work, health, and the material reality you’re building.

Ace of Pentacles — Upright: New financial opportunity, manifestation, prosperity. Reversed: Missed opportunity, poor planning, lack of foresight. A golden coin appears from the clouds — a new opportunity for material abundance.

Two of Pentacles — Upright: Balance, adaptability, juggling priorities, time management. Reversed: Overwhelm, disorganization, overextended. Juggling two coins with a smile — for now. The question is how long you can maintain the balance.

Three of Pentacles — Upright: Teamwork, collaboration, skilled work, learning. Reversed: Lack of teamwork, poor quality, misalignment. The apprentice shows the master the plans. Skilled collaboration produces something beautiful.

Four of Pentacles — Upright: Security, control, saving, possessiveness, conservation. Reversed: Generosity, release, spending, financial insecurity. Holding onto coins so tightly nothing can enter or leave. Security or stagnation — it depends on context.

Five of Pentacles — Upright: Financial loss, hardship, poverty, isolation, worry. Reversed: Recovery, improvement, finding help, spiritual richness. Two figures in the snow, passing a lit window. Help exists — but you have to be willing to look up and ask for it.

Six of Pentacles — Upright: Generosity, giving, receiving, sharing wealth, charity. Reversed: Power dynamics, strings attached, debt, inequality. The card of giving and receiving. But notice who holds the scales — generosity can come with conditions.

Seven of Pentacles — Upright: Patience, long-term investment, assessment, perseverance. Reversed: Impatience, poor returns, wasted effort, frustration. Standing in the garden, watching the plants grow. The work has been done; now you wait.

Eight of Pentacles — Upright: Diligence, skill development, craftsmanship, dedication. Reversed: Perfectionism, lack of motivation, poor quality. Head down, focused, producing one pentacle after another. Mastery through dedicated, repetitive practice.

Nine of Pentacles — Upright: Independence, luxury, self-sufficiency, financial security. Reversed: Over-investment in work, superficiality, financial dependence. The self-made woman in her beautiful garden. You built this life yourself. Enjoy it.

Ten of Pentacles — Upright: Wealth, inheritance, family legacy, long-term security. Reversed: Financial failure, family disputes, short-term thinking. Generational wealth — not just money, but the security, traditions, and stability passed through family.

Page of Pentacles — Upright: Ambition, new venture, studiousness, practical planning. Reversed: Lack of progress, procrastination, unrealistic goals. The diligent student with big plans and the patience to build them step by step.

Knight of Pentacles — Upright: Hard work, routine, responsibility, reliability. Reversed: Boredom, stagnation, laziness, perfectionism. The slowest knight — but the one who actually finishes the job. Dependable, thorough, and unstoppable.

Queen of Pentacles — Upright: Nurturing, practical, generous, down-to-earth, abundant. Reversed: Work-life imbalance, smothering, neglecting self-care. She creates a warm, abundant home and manages the practical side of life with ease and grace.

King of Pentacles — Upright: Wealth, security, business, leadership, discipline, abundance. Reversed: Greed, materialism, financial mismanagement. He built the empire. Disciplined, prosperous, and generous with what he’s earned.

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Quick reference: suits at a glance

Suit	Element	Core theme	Question it answers
Wands	Fire	Passion and action	What drives me?
Cups	Water	Emotions and relationships	What do I feel?
Swords	Air	Thoughts and conflict	What do I think?
Pentacles	Earth	Material and practical	What do I have?

Quick reference: court cards

Court card	Energy	When it appears
Page	Student, message, curiosity	Learning something new, receiving news
Knight	Action, movement, pursuit	Active pursuit of goals, someone arriving
Queen	Mastery through nurturing	Internal strength, someone supportive
King	Mastery through authority	Leadership role, external power

Reading tip

When you draw a card and can’t remember the meaning, look at the picture. The imagery in a well-illustrated deck (especially the Rider-Waite-Smith) tells the story even if you’ve forgotten the keywords. A person walking away from spilled cups is experiencing loss. A figure surrounded by swords is dealing with mental conflict. Trust the images first, then check the meanings.

The cards are designed to be read — literally. Let them show you what they mean.