Tarot card meanings: all 78 cards, upright and reversed
A tarot deck has 78 cards: 22 Major Arcana cards for the big chapters of your life and 56 Minor Arcana cards for the day-to-day. Below you’ll find every card in the Rider-Waite deck with its upright and reversed keywords and a quick yes, no or maybe. Pick the one on your mind.
By Angelos, Certified Master of Prophetic Arts · Last updated October 2026
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Major Arcana card meanings
22 cards
The 22 cards for life’s big chapters: the turning points and the lessons you can’t skip.
The Fool's Journey
Most people meet the Major Arcana as 22 separate pictures. Read in order, they tell one story, known as the Fool’s Journey. The Fool is the hero, which means the hero is you, and every card he meets is something a person has to learn before the story can move on. Here’s how it goes.
Finding the world
It starts at zero. The Fool is all nerve and no experience, one foot already off the cliff. He runs into the Magician and the High Priestess first, and between them they teach him the two ways of getting anything done: you act, or you listen.
Then come the parents. The Empress gives him care and the Emperor gives him rules, and the Hierophant sends him to school to learn how things have always been done.
With the Lovers he makes his first real choice, the kind where following your heart costs you something. Once he has chosen, he climbs into the Chariot and leaves home at full speed. He is an adult now, or thinks he is.
Turning inward
It turns out that winning in the outside world isn’t enough. Strength teaches him to handle his own impulses with patience instead of force. Worn out, he withdraws as the Hermit and learns to keep his own company.
The Wheel of Fortune shows him how little he controls. Justice shows him that he still answers for what he does with the part he does control.
Then the hard stretch. As the Hanged Man he has to stop, give something up and look at his life upside down. Death follows, and what dies is the person he used to be. Temperance is the recovery: slow, measured, one cup poured into the other until he is steady again.
Coming through
The biggest trap is still ahead. The Devil ties him to what he craves and what he fears losing, and he stays tied until lightning hits the Tower and the whole arrangement comes down.
Standing in the rubble, he sees the Star, and hope comes back quietly. The Moon makes him walk through one more night with his own fears for company. In the morning the Sun rises and, for once, things are simply clear and good.
Judgement calls him to look back at all of it and forgive himself. The World closes the circle. He has arrived, which in tarot means he is ready to start again, one level up.
The Fool
0
Upright: New beginnings, spontaneity, a leap of faith
Reversed: Recklessness, hesitation, leaping without looking
Yes or no: Yes
The Magician
I
Upright: Willpower, skill, making it happen
Reversed: Manipulation, wasted talent, trickery
Yes or no: Yes
The High Priestess
II
Upright: Intuition, secrets, quiet knowing
Reversed: Ignored instincts, hidden motives, withdrawal
Yes or no: Not yet
The Empress
III
Upright: Abundance, nurturing, fertility
Reversed: Smothering, neglecting yourself, creative block
Yes or no: Yes
The Emperor
IV
Upright: Structure, authority, stability
Reversed: Control, rigidity, a power struggle
Yes or no: Yes
The Hierophant
V
Upright: Tradition, commitment, guidance
Reversed: Breaking the rules, questioning tradition, doing it your own way
Yes or no: YesEspecially for marriage, commitment and formal steps
The Lovers
VI
Upright: Love, alignment, a choice from the heart
Reversed: Disharmony, clashing values, a choice avoided
Yes or no: Yes
The Chariot
VII
Upright: Determination, momentum, victory
Reversed: Lost direction, forcing it, stalled plans
Yes or no: Yes
Strength
VIII
Upright: Courage, patience, quiet confidence
Reversed: Self-doubt, a short temper, burnout
Yes or no: Yes
The Hermit
IX
Upright: Solitude, reflection, inner guidance
Reversed: Isolation, loneliness, shutting people out
Yes or no: Not yet
Wheel of Fortune
X
Upright: Change, cycles, a lucky turn
Reversed: Setbacks, resisting change, bad timing
Yes or no: Yes
Justice
XI
Upright: Fairness, truth, consequences
Reversed: Unfairness, dishonesty, dodging accountability
Yes or no: YesIf you're in the right and your intentions are honest
The Hanged Man
XII
Upright: Pause, surrender, a new angle
Reversed: Stalling, pointless sacrifice, fear of letting go
Yes or no: Not yet
Death
XIII
Upright: Endings, release, a fresh start
Reversed: Resisting change, holding on, a slow ending
Yes or no: No
Temperance
XIV
Upright: Balance, patience, healing
Reversed: Excess, impatience, being out of sync
Yes or no: Yes
The Devil
XV
Upright: Attachment, temptation, obsession
Reversed: Breaking free, seeing clearly, taking your power back
Yes or no: No
The Tower
XVI
Upright: Sudden upheaval, truth revealed, collapse
Reversed: Disaster averted, delayed fallout, fear of change
Yes or no: No
The Star
XVII
Upright: Hope, healing, renewed faith
Reversed: Discouragement, doubt, feeling disconnected
Yes or no: Yes
The Moon
XVIII
Upright: Illusion, anxiety, intuition
Reversed: Confusion lifting, truth surfacing, fears released
Yes or no: Not yet
The Sun
XIX
Upright: Joy, success, vitality
Reversed: Dimmed optimism, a setback, a short-lived high
Yes or no: Yes
Judgement
XX
Upright: A wake-up call, forgiveness, a second chance
Reversed: Self-doubt, harsh self-judgment, ignoring the call
Yes or no: Yes
The World
XXI
Upright: Completion, achievement, wholeness
Reversed: Loose ends, delays, almost there
Yes or no: Yes
Suit of Wands meanings
14 cards
Energy, drive, action.
Wands are the cards of fire: what gets you out of bed and what you’re willing to chase. They show up around work, creative projects and ambition, and around desire too, the kind that goes well beyond romance.
When a spread fills up with Wands, the message is about movement. You’ve thought about it long enough. Something is ready to be started or said out loud.
Ace of Wands
Upright: A spark, inspiration, a new venture
Reversed: Hesitation, low motivation, a false start
Yes or no: Yes
Two of Wands
Upright: Planning, big-picture decisions, leaving your comfort zone
Reversed: Fear of the unknown, playing it safe, poor planning
Yes or no: Yes
Three of Wands
Upright: Expansion, foresight, waiting for results
Reversed: Setbacks, frustration, plans falling short
Yes or no: Yes
Four of Wands
Upright: Celebration, home, a milestone
Reversed: Tension at home, a postponed celebration, feeling unwelcome
Yes or no: Yes
Five of Wands
Upright: Conflict, competition, clashing egos
Reversed: Avoiding conflict, a truce, inner tension
Yes or no: YesIf you go after it
Six of Wands
Upright: Victory, recognition, confidence
Reversed: Ego, lack of recognition, a fall from grace
Yes or no: Yes
Seven of Wands
Upright: Standing your ground, defensiveness, perseverance
Reversed: Overwhelm, giving up, feeling attacked
Yes or no: YesIf you hold your ground
Eight of Wands
Upright: Speed, news, rapid progress
Reversed: Delays, miscommunication, bad timing
Yes or no: Yes
Nine of Wands
Upright: Resilience, persistence, guarded strength
Reversed: Exhaustion, suspicion, wanting to quit
Yes or no: YesWith one last push
Ten of Wands
Upright: Burden, overwork, carrying too much
Reversed: Letting go, delegating, collapse under pressure
Yes or no: YesIf you let something go
Page of Wands
Upright: Curiosity, enthusiasm, good news
Reversed: Restlessness, scattered energy, hot air
Yes or no: Yes
Knight of Wands
Upright: Passion, adventure, impulsive action
Reversed: Recklessness, impatience, burning out fast
Yes or no: Yes
Queen of Wands
Upright: Confidence, warmth, magnetism
Reversed: Jealousy, insecurity, a short fuse
Yes or no: Yes
King of Wands
Upright: Leadership, vision, boldness
Reversed: Arrogance, impulsiveness, impossible standards
Yes or no: Yes
Suit of Cups meanings
14 cards
Feelings, relationships, intuition.
Cups are the cards of water, which makes them the cards of the heart. Love, friendship, family, grief, longing: if it’s felt before it’s thought, it lives here.
A spread heavy with Cups is telling you the answer won’t come from a list of pros and cons. From the Ace, the first stirring of a feeling, to the King, who feels deeply without letting his feelings run him, this suit traces how a person learns to love and be loved.
Ace of Cups
Upright: New love, an open heart, compassion
Reversed: Blocked feelings, emptiness, love held back
Yes or no: Yes
Two of Cups
Upright: Mutual attraction, partnership, connection
Reversed: Imbalance, a falling-out, broken trust
Yes or no: Yes
Three of Cups
Upright: Friendship, celebration, community
Reversed: Gossip, overindulgence, a third party
Yes or no: Yes
Four of Cups
Upright: Apathy, withdrawal, missed offers
Reversed: Renewed interest, saying yes again, waking up
Yes or no: Not yet
Five of Cups
Upright: Grief, regret, fixating on the loss
Reversed: Acceptance, forgiveness, moving on
Yes or no: No
Six of Cups
Upright: Nostalgia, old ties, innocence
Reversed: Stuck in the past, rose-colored memories, growing up
Yes or no: Yes
Seven of Cups
Upright: Too many options, fantasy, wishful thinking
Reversed: Clarity, a decision made, illusions dropped
Yes or no: Not yet
Eight of Cups
Upright: Walking away, searching for more, disappointment
Reversed: Fear of leaving, drifting, coming back
Yes or no: No
Nine of Cups
Upright: Wishes fulfilled, contentment, satisfaction
Reversed: Dissatisfaction, smugness, wanting more
Yes or no: Yes
Ten of Cups
Upright: Lasting happiness, family, emotional fulfillment
Reversed: Strained family ties, a picture-perfect surface, broken harmony
Yes or no: Yes
Page of Cups
Upright: A tender message, a crush, a creative opening
Reversed: Emotional immaturity, moodiness, disappointing news
Yes or no: Yes
Knight of Cups
Upright: Romance, an offer, following the heart
Reversed: Moodiness, empty promises, unrealistic expectations
Yes or no: Yes
Queen of Cups
Upright: Empathy, emotional depth, intuition
Reversed: Over-giving, emotional overwhelm, codependency
Yes or no: Yes
King of Cups
Upright: Emotional maturity, calm, wise counsel
Reversed: Emotional manipulation, repression, volatility
Yes or no: Yes
Suit of Swords meanings
14 cards
Thought, truth, decisions.
Swords are the cards of air: the mind, words and the truth, including the part you’d rather not hear. They have a reputation as the harsh suit, and they earn it. A sword cuts.
When Swords take over a spread, something needs to be said plainly or decided. They also show the damage a mind can do to itself at three in the morning. The suit keeps coming back to one point: clear thinking, used well, cuts you loose from whatever is holding you back.
Ace of Swords
Upright: Clarity, a breakthrough, the truth
Reversed: Confusion, harsh words, a clouded mind
Yes or no: Yes
Two of Swords
Upright: Indecision, stalemate, avoiding the choice
Reversed: Information overload, the truth coming out, a forced decision
Yes or no: Maybe
Three of Swords
Upright: Heartbreak, grief, a painful truth
Reversed: Healing, forgiveness, releasing the pain
Yes or no: No
Four of Swords
Upright: Rest, recovery, a pause
Reversed: Restlessness, burnout, getting back up
Yes or no: Not yet
Five of Swords
Upright: Conflict, winning at a cost, hostility
Reversed: Making peace, regret, lingering resentment
Yes or no: No
Six of Swords
Upright: Transition, moving on, calmer waters
Reversed: Unable to move on, unfinished business, a rough crossing
Yes or no: Yes
Seven of Swords
Upright: Deception, strategy, getting away with it
Reversed: Coming clean, getting caught, a guilty conscience
Yes or no: No
Eight of Swords
Upright: Feeling trapped, self-imposed limits, helplessness
Reversed: Release, a new perspective, seeing a way out
Yes or no: Not yet
Nine of Swords
Upright: Anxiety, sleepless nights, worst-case thinking
Reversed: Fears easing, reaching out, hope returning
Yes or no: No
Ten of Swords
Upright: A painful ending, betrayal, rock bottom
Reversed: Recovery, the worst is over, resisting the end
Yes or no: No
Page of Swords
Upright: Curiosity, vigilance, new ideas
Reversed: Gossip, all talk, scattered thinking
Yes or no: YesOnce you've checked the facts
Knight of Swords
Upright: Ambition, fast action, bluntness
Reversed: Impulsiveness, aggression, no follow-through
Yes or no: Yes
Queen of Swords
Upright: Clear boundaries, honesty, independence
Reversed: Coldness, bitterness, harsh judgment
Yes or no: YesAs long as everything is out in the open
King of Swords
Upright: Intellect, authority, fair judgment
Reversed: Manipulation, tyranny, cold logic
Yes or no: Yes
Suit of Pentacles meanings
14 cards
Work, money, stability.
Pentacles are the cards of earth, the things you can count and touch: money, work, your home, your body. They show what steady effort has built so far and what it could build next.
When Pentacles dominate, your question has stopped being a theory or a feeling and turned practical. Whether it’s the first step of a new venture (the Ace) or what you hand down to the people who come after you (the Ten), this suit keeps asking the same thing: what are you building, and will it last?
Ace of Pentacles
Upright: A new opportunity, prosperity, a solid start
Reversed: A missed chance, poor planning, money slipping away
Yes or no: Yes
Two of Pentacles
Upright: Juggling, adaptability, balancing priorities
Reversed: Overcommitment, disorganization, dropped balls
Yes or no: YesIf you keep your balance
Three of Pentacles
Upright: Teamwork, craftsmanship, learning
Reversed: Poor collaboration, mediocre work, lack of effort
Yes or no: Yes
Four of Pentacles
Upright: Security, saving, holding on tight
Reversed: Letting go, overspending, greed
Yes or no: YesFor whatever you want to keep safe and steady
Five of Pentacles
Upright: Hardship, feeling left out, money worries
Reversed: Help arriving, turning a corner, getting back on your feet
Yes or no: Not yet
Six of Pentacles
Upright: Generosity, giving and receiving, fair exchange
Reversed: Strings attached, one-sided giving, debt
Yes or no: Yes
Seven of Pentacles
Upright: Patience, long-term investment, taking stock
Reversed: Impatience, wasted effort, poor returns
Yes or no: YesGiven time
Eight of Pentacles
Upright: Skill, dedication, steady work
Reversed: Perfectionism, shortcuts, uninspired work
Yes or no: Yes
Nine of Pentacles
Upright: Independence, comfort, self-made success
Reversed: Overworking, financial dependence, keeping up appearances
Yes or no: Yes
Ten of Pentacles
Upright: Wealth, family, legacy
Reversed: Family disputes, financial loss, a fragile foundation
Yes or no: Yes
Page of Pentacles
Upright: Ambition, study, a practical opportunity
Reversed: Procrastination, lack of focus, a slow start
Yes or no: Yes
Knight of Pentacles
Upright: Reliability, routine, hard work
Reversed: Stagnation, boredom, perfectionism
Yes or no: Yes
Queen of Pentacles
Upright: Nurturing, practicality, comfort
Reversed: Self-neglect, work and home out of balance, smothering
Yes or no: Yes
King of Pentacles
Upright: Abundance, security, discipline
Reversed: Greed, materialism, stubbornness
Yes or no: Yes
How to read a tarot spread, step by step
guide
The question, the big picture, the combinations.
One card on its own is a word. A spread is a sentence. Knowing what the Sun or the Three of Swords means only gets you part of the way, because the card’s position, the question you asked and the cards sitting next to it all change what it’s saying.
Start with the question. The more specific it is, the clearer the answer. "Will everything work out?" gives the cards nothing to work with. "What do I need to see about my relationship with Alex?" gives them plenty.
Then look at the whole spread before any single card. How many Major Arcana cards turned up? Several at once mean this is not a small question. Which suit has the most cards? A spread full of Cups means the issue is emotional, even if you asked about work. A spread full of Swords means your mind has been working overtime.
Last, read the cards in pairs and small groups, never one at a time. The Tower next to the Two of Cups tells a different story from the Tower next to the Ten of Swords. The first is a shock inside a relationship. The second is an ending that has already been decided. If you get stuck, every card guide in this library has a section on combinations for exactly this reason.
Upright and reversed: what actually changes
guide
The same energy, blocked or turned inward.
Reversed cards trip up almost everyone at the start. A card that lands upside down rarely means the opposite of its upright self, and it isn’t a sign of disaster. Think of it as the same energy as the upright card, only blocked, delayed or turned inward. With the harder cards, a reversal often shows the pressure easing: the Devil reversed is breaking free, and the Three of Swords reversed is healing.
Upright, the Magician is your ability to turn an idea into something real. Reversed, the same ability is there but something is in its way: the wrong goal, maybe, or a talent gathering dust. Upright, the Ten of Cups is a full, happy home. Reversed, it shows a gap between the family photo and what actually goes on in the house.
When a card comes up reversed, ask three questions. What would the upright card say? Where in my life is that energy stuck right now? And is the block mine, or is it coming from outside? The neighboring cards usually answer the third one.
A practical note if you’re new: you can read with upright cards only. The deck already holds the full range, from the Three of Swords to the Sun. Reversals add shading. A good reading doesn’t depend on them.
Yes or no: which tarot cards say what
guide
A fast answer, and when not to trust it.
Sometimes you want one word. Tarot can give it to you, as long as you remember that the cards are better at "why" and "what next" than at yes and no.
For a quick answer, ask a question that can only be answered yes or no, pull a single card and check its "Yes or no" line in the lists above. The pattern is easy to learn. Cards of growth and forward motion lean yes: the Sun, the Star, the World, the Ace of Cups, the Six of Wands. Cards of loss and conflict lean no: the Tower, the Three of Swords, the Five of Pentacles, the Ten of Swords. A third group says "not yet" or "that depends on you": the Hanged Man, the High Priestess, the Two of Swords, the Seven of Cups.
A reversed card softens the answer. A reversed yes becomes "yes, but later" or "yes, with a catch," and a reversed no often means the worst of it has passed.
If the answer matters, don’t stop at one card. A no from the Tower about getting back with your ex is worth understanding, and a single card can’t explain itself.
Major Arcana, Minor Arcana and the four suits at a glance
guide
The chapters of your life and its everyday pages.
If you remember one thing from this guide, make it this: the Major Arcana shows the chapters of your life, and the Minor Arcana shows the pages you live day to day.
The 22 Major Arcana cards, from the Fool to the World, deal with the big turning points and the changes that change you. When they land in a spread, your question goes deeper than it looks.
The 56 Minor Arcana cards are split into four suits, and each one speaks its own language.
| Suit | Element | Zodiac signs | Area of life | In a reading | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wands | Fire | Aries, Leo, Sagittarius | Passion, ambition, creative work | Time to act | Days to weeks |
| Cups | Water | Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces | Feelings, love, relationships | Listen to how you feel | Weeks to months |
| Swords | Air | Gemini, Libra, Aquarius | Thoughts, decisions, conflict | Think it through, say it plainly | Days, often sudden |
| Pentacles | Earth | Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn | Money, work, health, home | Build slowly | Months, sometimes years |
Within each suit the numbers climb like a story: the Ace is the spark, the Five is the crisis, the Ten is where it all lands. The court cards (Page, Knight, Queen, King) are either people around you or roles you’re playing yourself. The rest of the spread tells you which.
From here, every card has its own full guide in this library: upright and reversed meanings, love, career, yes or no, timing, combinations and the questions people ask most.
Tarot card meanings: frequently asked questions
How many cards are in a tarot deck?
A standard tarot deck has 78 cards. Of those, 22 make up the Major Arcana, numbered 0 (the Fool) to XXI (the World). The other 56 form the Minor Arcana: four suits of 14 cards each, running from Ace to Ten plus four court cards, the Page, Knight, Queen and King.
What are the 22 Major Arcana cards?
In order: the Fool, the Magician, the High Priestess, the Empress, the Emperor, the Hierophant, the Lovers, the Chariot, Strength, the Hermit, the Wheel of Fortune, Justice, the Hanged Man, Death, Temperance, the Devil, the Tower, the Star, the Moon, the Sun, Judgement and the World. Together they tell the story known as the Fool’s Journey.
What do the tarot cards represent?
Each card represents a situation, a feeling or a kind of person that almost everyone runs into at some point. Major Arcana cards stand for the big themes, like a new start (the Fool), a hard ending (Death) or a sudden collapse (the Tower). Minor Arcana cards stand for daily life: Wands for drive, Cups for feelings, Swords for thoughts and Pentacles for money and work.
Do reversed tarot cards mean the opposite?
Not usually. Most reversed cards carry the same theme as the upright one, only blocked or turned inward. With the tougher cards, a reversal often means the worst is passing. The upright Sun is open joy. The reversed Sun is joy with a cloud over it: good news that arrives late or doesn’t land the way you hoped. Beginners can read upright cards only and add reversals later.
Which tarot cards mean yes?
Cards of growth and clarity lean yes: the Sun, the Star, the World, the Lovers, the Empress, all four Aces, and cards like the Six of Wands and the Nine of Cups. Cards of conflict and loss, such as the Tower, the Three of Swords and the Ten of Swords, lean no. Every card in the lists above has its own yes or no.
Do all tarot decks use the same meanings?
The meanings on this page follow the Rider-Waite deck (also called Rider-Waite-Smith), first published in 1909, which most modern decks are based on. Decks in the Marseille and Thoth traditions differ in places. Some cards go by other names, and Justice and Strength trade places: Justice is card VIII and Strength is card XI.
Are there bad cards in tarot?
No card is bad in itself. Death marks the end of a chapter and almost never has anything to do with a physical death. The Tower shakes loose something that was already unstable, and the Devil shows you where you’ve handed over your power. In 25 years of readings, I’ve found that the cards people dread often bring relief, because they confirm what you already suspected.
The card shows you the theme. A reading shows you what to do with it.
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