Your Go-To Reference

This is the page to bookmark. Every card in the standard 78-card tarot deck, organized by Major Arcana and the four Minor Arcana suits, with upright and reversed keywords for each.

For deeper dives into individual cards, including love, career, and spiritual interpretations, visit our full card meanings guide.

The Fool tarot card from the Visconti deck — card zero of the Major Arcana, representing new beginnings and innocence

Key Takeaways
  • The standard tarot deck contains 78 cards split between Major and Minor Arcana. 22 Major Arcana cards represent life's big themes, while 56 Minor Arcana cards are divided into four suits of fourteen cards each.
  • The four Minor Arcana suits each govern a specific life domain. Cups (Water) cover emotions and relationships, Wands (Fire) cover passion and action, Swords (Air) cover thought and communication, and Pentacles (Earth) cover material concerns and work.
  • Every card carries distinct upright and reversed keywords. The Fool upright signals new beginnings and a leap of faith while reversed indicates recklessness; The Tower upright means sudden upheaval while reversed points to avoidance or delayed disaster.
  • Each suit follows a numbered progression from Ace through Ten plus four court cards. Aces represent new beginnings within the suit's domain, Tens represent culmination, and the Page, Knight, Queen, and King embody the suit's energy at increasing levels of mastery.

Major Arcana

The 22 Major Arcana represent life’s big themes and turning points.

  • The Fool — Upright: new beginnings, innocence, leap of faith. Reversed: recklessness, naivety, poor judgment.
  • The Magician — Upright: manifestation, willpower, resourcefulness. Reversed: manipulation, untapped potential, deception.
  • The High Priestess — Upright: intuition, mystery, inner knowledge. Reversed: ignoring intuition, secrets, disconnection.
  • The Empress — Upright: abundance, nurturing, fertility, creativity. Reversed: creative block, dependence, neglect.
  • The Emperor — Upright: authority, structure, stability, leadership. Reversed: rigidity, domination, lack of discipline.
  • The Hierophant — Upright: tradition, wisdom, spiritual guidance. Reversed: rebellion, dogma, unconventional path.
  • The Lovers — Upright: love, union, choices, alignment. Reversed: disharmony, imbalance, misalignment.
  • The Chariot — Upright: determination, willpower, victory. Reversed: lack of direction, aggression, defeat.
  • Strength — Upright: inner strength, courage, compassion. Reversed: self-doubt, weakness, insecurity.
  • The Hermit — Upright: introspection, solitude, inner guidance. Reversed: isolation, loneliness, withdrawal.
  • Wheel of Fortune — Upright: cycles, destiny, turning points. Reversed: resistance to change, bad luck, stagnation.
  • Justice — Upright: fairness, truth, accountability. Reversed: dishonesty, injustice, avoidance.
  • The Hanged Man — Upright: surrender, new perspective, pause. Reversed: stalling, resistance, martyrdom.
  • Death — Upright: endings, transformation, transition. Reversed: resisting change, stagnation, fear of letting go.
  • Temperance — Upright: balance, patience, moderation. Reversed: excess, imbalance, impatience.
  • The Devil — Upright: bondage, shadow self, attachment. Reversed: release, breaking free, reclaiming power.
  • The Tower — Upright: sudden change, upheaval, revelation. Reversed: avoidance, fear of change, delayed disaster.
  • The Star — Upright: hope, renewal, inspiration, serenity. Reversed: despair, disconnection, lack of faith.
  • The Moon — Upright: illusion, fear, the subconscious. Reversed: clarity, release of fear, truth emerging.
  • The Sun — Upright: joy, success, vitality, optimism. Reversed: temporary sadness, lack of clarity.
  • Judgement — Upright: awakening, calling, rebirth. Reversed: self-doubt, refusal of the call, harsh self-judgment.
  • The World — Upright: completion, integration, accomplishment. Reversed: incompletion, shortcuts, lack of closure.

The Lovers tarot card from the Rider-Waite deck — representing choice, union, and alignment of values

Cups (Water — Emotions & Relationships)

  • Ace of Cups — Upright: new love, emotional awakening, compassion. Reversed: blocked emotions, emptiness.
  • Two of Cups — Upright: partnership, attraction, mutual respect. Reversed: imbalance, breakup, disharmony.
  • Three of Cups — Upright: celebration, friendship, community. Reversed: overindulgence, gossip, isolation.
  • Four of Cups — Upright: contemplation, apathy, reevaluation. Reversed: awareness, acceptance, new motivation.
  • Five of Cups — Upright: loss, grief, regret. Reversed: acceptance, moving on, finding peace.
  • Six of Cups — Upright: nostalgia, innocence, childhood memories. Reversed: living in the past, unrealistic expectations.
  • Seven of Cups — Upright: choices, fantasy, wishful thinking. Reversed: clarity, decisiveness, alignment.
  • Eight of Cups — Upright: walking away, seeking truth, letting go. Reversed: fear of change, stagnation, avoidance.
  • Nine of Cups — Upright: wishes fulfilled, contentment, satisfaction. Reversed: dissatisfaction, materialism, greed.
  • Ten of Cups — Upright: emotional fulfillment, happiness, family harmony. Reversed: broken home, disconnection, unrealistic ideals.
  • Page of Cups — Upright: creative opportunities, intuitive messages. Reversed: emotional immaturity, creative blocks.
  • Knight of Cups — Upright: romance, charm, following the heart. Reversed: moodiness, unrealistic expectations.
  • Queen of Cups — Upright: compassion, emotional security, intuition. Reversed: emotional insecurity, codependency.
  • King of Cups — Upright: emotional balance, diplomacy, wisdom. Reversed: emotional manipulation, volatility.

Wands (Fire — Passion & Action)

  • Ace of Wands — Upright: inspiration, new ventures, creative spark. Reversed: delays, lack of motivation.
  • Two of Wands — Upright: planning, future vision, decisions. Reversed: fear of the unknown, lack of planning.
  • Three of Wands — Upright: expansion, foresight, progress. Reversed: obstacles, delays, frustration.
  • Four of Wands — Upright: celebration, stability, homecoming. Reversed: instability, lack of support.
  • Five of Wands — Upright: conflict, competition, tension. Reversed: resolution, compromise, avoiding conflict.
  • Six of Wands — Upright: victory, recognition, pride. Reversed: ego, fall from grace, lack of confidence.
  • Seven of Wands — Upright: perseverance, defending beliefs, standing ground. Reversed: giving up, overwhelm.
  • Eight of Wands — Upright: speed, momentum, rapid progress. Reversed: delays, scattered energy.
  • Nine of Wands — Upright: resilience, persistence, last push. Reversed: exhaustion, giving up too soon.
  • Ten of Wands — Upright: burden, responsibility, hard work. Reversed: delegation, release, burnout.
  • Page of Wands — Upright: enthusiasm, exploration, discovery. Reversed: lack of direction, setbacks.
  • Knight of Wands — Upright: adventure, energy, impulsiveness. Reversed: recklessness, haste.
  • Queen of Wands — Upright: confidence, independence, determination. Reversed: selfishness, jealousy.
  • King of Wands — Upright: leadership, vision, entrepreneurship. Reversed: impulsiveness, ruthlessness.

The Ace of Wands tarot card from the Marseille deck — the spark of new creative energy in the suit of fire

Swords (Air — Thought & Communication)

  • Ace of Swords — Upright: clarity, breakthrough, truth. Reversed: confusion, miscommunication.
  • Two of Swords — Upright: indecision, stalemate, avoidance. Reversed: clarity, resolution, facing truth.
  • Three of Swords — Upright: heartbreak, grief, sorrow. Reversed: recovery, forgiveness, releasing pain.
  • Four of Swords — Upright: rest, recovery, contemplation. Reversed: restlessness, burnout.
  • Five of Swords — Upright: conflict, defeat, winning at a cost. Reversed: reconciliation, forgiveness, moving on.
  • Six of Swords — Upright: transition, moving on, healing. Reversed: resistance, unfinished business.
  • Seven of Swords — Upright: deception, strategy, stealth. Reversed: confession, conscience, coming clean.
  • Eight of Swords — Upright: restriction, self-imposed limitation, victim mentality. Reversed: freedom, new perspective.
  • Nine of Swords — Upright: anxiety, worry, nightmares. Reversed: recovery, reaching out, perspective.
  • Ten of Swords — Upright: painful ending, rock bottom, betrayal. Reversed: recovery, renewal, worst is over.
  • Page of Swords — Upright: curiosity, mental agility, new ideas. Reversed: gossip, hasty decisions.
  • Knight of Swords — Upright: ambition, fast action, driven. Reversed: impatience, impulsiveness.
  • Queen of Swords — Upright: clear thinking, independence, direct communication. Reversed: cold, overly critical.
  • King of Swords — Upright: intellectual power, authority, truth. Reversed: manipulation, tyranny.

Pentacles (Earth — Material & Work)

  • Ace of Pentacles — Upright: new financial opportunity, prosperity. Reversed: missed opportunity, poor planning.
  • Two of Pentacles — Upright: balance, adaptability, juggling priorities. Reversed: overwhelm, imbalance.
  • Three of Pentacles — Upright: teamwork, collaboration, skill. Reversed: lack of teamwork, misalignment.
  • Four of Pentacles — Upright: security, control, conservation. Reversed: greed, materialism, hoarding.
  • Five of Pentacles — Upright: hardship, loss, isolation. Reversed: recovery, finding help, turning a corner.
  • Six of Pentacles — Upright: generosity, charity, sharing. Reversed: power dynamics, strings attached.
  • Seven of Pentacles — Upright: patience, long-term investment, assessment. Reversed: impatience, lack of reward.
  • Eight of Pentacles — Upright: mastery, skill development, dedication. Reversed: perfectionism, lack of focus.
  • Nine of Pentacles — Upright: abundance, self-sufficiency, luxury. Reversed: overworking, financial setbacks.
  • Ten of Pentacles — Upright: wealth, legacy, family, long-term success. Reversed: financial failure, family disputes.
  • Page of Pentacles — Upright: ambition, new opportunity, studiousness. Reversed: lack of progress, procrastination.
  • Knight of Pentacles — Upright: reliability, hard work, routine. Reversed: stubbornness, boredom.
  • Queen of Pentacles — Upright: nurturing, abundance, practical. Reversed: work-life imbalance, neglect.
  • King of Pentacles — Upright: wealth, business, leadership, security. Reversed: greed, materialism.

How to Use This Guide

Keep this page bookmarked for quick reference during readings. When you want to go deeper on any card, click through to its full meaning page for detailed interpretations on love, career, spirituality, and advice.