Tarot Card Meanings
This is a collection page for quickly and easily getting an overview of the meanings of the cards. The deck consists of the major arcana with its archetypes and the minor arcana with its suits: cups, pentacles, swords and wands.
The images shown belong to the traditional Rider-Waite deck, whose strength lies in its clear symbolism. This makes it one of the most widely used and appreciated tarot decks for both beginners and experienced practitioners.
Click on a card to read its meaning.
Major Arcana
The Fool
Innocence, spontaneity, new adventures. This card represents embarking on a new journey or trying something new with an open mind.
The Magician
Power, skill, potential. The card symbolizes the ability to turn ideas into reality through power and focus.
The High Priestess
Intuition, secrets, hidden knowledge. This card is about trusting your intuition and seeking answers within.
The Empress
Motherhood, abundance, fertility. The card stands for nurturing and creative energy, as well as growth and flourishing.
The Emperor
Authority, structure, stability. This card represents order, control, and leadership.
The Hierophant
Tradition, learning, spiritual guidance. The card is about following traditions and seeking guidance from spiritual or moral authorities.
The Lovers
Relationships, choices, harmony. It symbolizes important decisions in relationships and the harmony that can arise from the right choices.
The Chariot
Victory, control, determination. The card speaks of overcoming obstacles through willpower and self-discipline.
Strength
Courage, self-discipline, patience. This card represents inner strength and the ability to face challenges with patience.
The Hermit
Introspection, solitude, spiritual search. The card is about withdrawing and reflecting on the deeper meaning of life.
Wheel of Fortune
Change, destiny, cyclical patterns. It symbolizes life’s constant changes and how things move in cycles.
Justice
Justice, truth, consequences. The card stands for balance and fairness, and receiving what is deserved based on past actions.
The Hanged Man
Sacrifice, perspective, acceptance. This card is about giving up something to gain deeper understanding or a new perspective.
Death
Transformation, endings, new beginnings. This card represents the end of a phase and the beginning of something new, often through necessary change.
Temperance
Balance, patience, harmony. The card symbolizes harmony through moderation and finding a middle path.
The Devil
Materialism, limitations, temptations. The card is about being trapped in negative patterns or material temptations.
The Tower
Sudden changes, chaos, upheaval. This card symbolizes unexpected events that shake the foundation of your life.
The Star
Hope, inspiration, healing. The card stands for optimism and healing after difficult times.
The Moon
Illusions, fear, subconscious emotions. This card is about navigating uncertainty and confronting inner fears.
The Sun
Success, happiness, clarity. The card symbolizes joy, vitality, and clarity in life’s situations.
Judgment
Awakening, self-reflection, judgment. It stands for a time of self-reflection and judging past actions to grow as a person.
The World
Completion, achievement, wholeness. The card represents the closing of a major cycle and feeling complete or fulfilled.
Cups
Ace of Cups
New emotional beginnings and opportunities. The card represents a new emotional experience or relationship that brings joy and fulfillment.
Two of Cups
Relationships, union, partnership. This card stands for a harmonious relationship where two people come together.
Three of Cups
Celebration, community, friendship. The card symbolizes joy and togetherness in a group or with close friends.
Four of Cups
Self-reflection, dissatisfaction. The card represents a time of dissatisfaction and searching for deeper meaning.
Five of Cups
Grief, loss, disappointment. It is about dealing with loss and feeling overwhelmed by sadness.
Six of Cups
Nostalgia, memories from the past. The card symbolizes reconnecting with childhood memories or old relationships.
Seven of Cups
Illusions, choices, dreams. This card speaks of many choices but warns against being deceived by false promises.
Eight of Cups
Leaving something behind, seeking something new. The card represents the desire to leave behind what no longer serves you and search for deeper meaning.
Nine of Cups
Fulfilled wishes, emotional satisfaction. This card symbolizes personal happiness and fulfillment.
Ten of Cups
Family happiness, harmony, lasting relationships. The card represents emotional happiness and a stable family life.
Page of Cups
Curiosity, emotional news, creativity. This card stands for new creative projects or emotional offers.
Knight of Cups
Romantic offers, idealism. The card symbolizes passion and romance driven by emotions.
Queen of Cups
Emotional stability, intuition. It stands for a person who is caring and intuitive with their emotions.
King of Cups
Emotional control, compassion. The card symbolizes someone with complete emotional maturity and understanding.
Swords
Ace of Swords
Clarity, truth, new mental beginning. This card symbolizes mental clarity and new ideas or insights.
Two of Swords
Difficult decisions, balance between opposing forces. The card represents a tough choice where one must weigh two opposing sides.
Three of Swords
Heartbreak, sorrow, pain. This card stands for emotional pain and sorrow, often related to loss.
Four of Swords
Rest, recovery, reflection. The card calls for taking time to rest and reflect after a challenge.
Five of Swords
Conflicts, losses, abuse of power. The card is about conflicts where no one truly wins and can indicate injustice.
Six of Swords
Transition, moving away from difficulties. It stands for leaving problems behind and moving towards calmer waters.
Seven of Swords
Deception, sneakiness, avoidance. The card symbolizes betrayal and hiding one’s true intentions.
Eight of Swords
Emotional or mental entrapment. This card represents feelings of being trapped or limited without a clear way out.
Nine of Swords
Anxiety, fear, worry. The card symbolizes anxiety, nightmares, and inner turmoil, where the person feels overwhelmed by negative thoughts and fears.
Ten of Swords
Endings, defeat, a painful conclusion. The card stands for a sudden or painful end to a situation.
Page of Swords
Curiosity, intelligence, mental challenges. It symbolizes a young energy exploring ideas and new information.
Knight of Swords
Determination, action without thinking. The card represents quick action, often without considering the consequences.
Queen of Swords
Clarity, independence, truthfulness. This card symbolizes a person who acts rationally and insightfully.
King of Swords
Power, authority, intellectual strength. The card stands for leadership and decision-making based on logic and knowledge.
Wands
Ace of Wands
New creative projects, inspiration. The card represents the beginning of something new and creative with great energy.
Two of Wands
Plans, decisions, waiting for results. This card symbolizes weighing options and preparing for the future.
Three of Wands
Success, expansion, new opportunities. The card stands for growth and looking forward to future successes.
Four of Wands
Celebration, harmony, stability. This card represents a time of celebration and feeling secure and stable.
Five of Wands
Conflict, competition, challenges. The card symbolizes competition and struggles, but often in a constructive way.
Six of Wands
Victory, recognition, success. This card stands for being recognized for achievements and achieving success.
Seven of Wands
Defense, resilience, courage. The card symbolizes defending one’s position and showing courage against challenges.
Eight of Wands
Swift movement, action, communication. This card stands for rapid change and action, often in a positive direction.
Nine of Wands
Perseverance, resistance, defense. The card represents enduring despite opposition and fatigue.
Ten of Wands
Burdens, responsibilities, hard work. It symbolizes carrying heavy responsibilities or burdens, but also the possibility of success.
Page of Wands
Curiosity, enthusiasm, new ideas. The card stands for energy filled with adventure and new creative ideas.
Knight of Wands
Passion, action, travel. This card represents intense energy and the desire to explore or create.
Queen of Wands
Confidence, warmth, determination. The card stands for a strong and passionate person who acts with determination.
King of Wands
Leadership, vision, determination. This card symbolizes a person who leads with a strong vision and willpower.
Pentacles
Ace of Pentacles
New material opportunities, success. The card symbolizes new opportunities for wealth and financial growth.
Two of Pentacles
Balance, adaptability, juggling responsibilities. This card speaks of managing multiple things and maintaining balance.
Three of Pentacles
Collaboration, learning, skilled work. The card represents success through collaboration and skilled work.
Four of Pentacles
Control, security, frugality. The card stands for the need for security, but also the risk of being too protective.
Five of Pentacles
Poverty, loss, difficulties. This card symbolizes challenges and lack, often related to material things.
Six of Pentacles
Generosity, charity, balance in giving and receiving. The card represents balance in giving and receiving and being generous.
Seven of Pentacles
Patience, investment, waiting for results. This card stands for investments and having patience while results grow.
Eight of Pentacles
Hard work, learning, skill. The card symbolizes focus on work and mastering a specific skill.
Nine of Pentacles
Independence, luxury, wealth. The card stands for self-sufficiency and material wealth.
Ten of Pentacles
Family legacy, traditions, lasting wealth. It symbolizes long-term security and inheritance, often related to family.
Page of Pentacles
New financial opportunities, studies. The card stands for curiosity about new financial or material projects.
Knight of Pentacles
Patience, responsibility, practical work. The card symbolizes hard work and a stable, responsible approach.
Queen of Pentacles
Motherhood, care, material wealth. The card symbolizes nurturing energy that creates security and wealth.
King of Pentacles
Success, wealth, material security. The card represents financial success and stability.