Tarot Card Meanings

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards summarizing the upright and reversed meanings for every Major and Minor Arcana card, plus the four suit overviews.

Fool (0)

Upright – beginnings, innocence, spontaneity, free spirit; Reversed – naïveté, foolishness, recklessness, risk-taking.

Magician (I)

Upright – power, skill, concentration, action, resourcefulness; Reversed – manipulation, poor planning, untapped talents.

High Priestess (II)

Upright – intuition, higher powers, mystery, subconscious mind; Reversed – hidden agendas, need to listen to inner voice.

Empress (III)

Upright – fertility, femininity, beauty, nature, abundance; Reversed – creative block, dependence on others.

Emperor (IV)

Upright – authority, father figure, structure, solid foundation; Reversed – domination, excessive control, rigidity, inflexibility.

Hierophant (V)

Upright – religion, group identification, conformity, tradition, beliefs; Reversed – restriction, challenging the status quo.

Lovers (VI)

Upright – love, union, relationships, values alignment, choices; Reversed – disharmony, imbalance, misaligned values.

Chariot (VII)

Upright – control, willpower, victory, assertion, determination; Reversed – lack of control or direction, aggression.

Strength (VIII)

Upright – strength, courage, patience, control, compassion; Reversed – weakness, self-doubt, lack of self-discipline.

Hermit (IX)

Upright – soul-searching, introspection, solitude, inner guidance; Reversed – isolation, loneliness, withdrawal.

Wheel of Fortune (X)

Upright – good luck, karma, life cycles, destiny, turning point; Reversed – bad luck, negative external forces, out of control.

Justice (XI)

Upright – justice, fairness, truth, cause and effect, law; Reversed – unfairness, lack of accountability, dishonesty.

Hanged Man (XII)

Upright – suspension, restriction, letting go, sacrifice; Reversed – martyrdom, indecision, delay.

Death (XIII)

Upright – endings, beginnings, change, transformation, transition; Reversed – resistance to change, inability to move on.

Temperance (XIV)

Upright – balance, moderation, patience, purpose, meaning; Reversed – imbalance, excess, lack of long-term vision.

Devil (XV)

Upright – bondage, addiction, sexuality, materialism; Reversed – detachment, breaking free, reclaimed power.

Tower (XVI)

Upright – disaster, upheaval, sudden change, revelation; Reversed – avoiding disaster, fear of change.

Star (XVII)

Upright – hope, spirituality, renewal, inspiration, serenity; Reversed – lack of faith, despair, discouragement.

Moon (XVIII)

Upright – illusion, fear, anxiety, insecurity, subconscious; Reversed – release of fear, unhappiness, confusion.

Sun (XIX)

Upright – fun, warmth, success, positivity, vitality; Reversed – temporary depression, lack of success.

Judgement (XX)

Upright – judgement, rebirth, inner calling, absolution; Reversed – self-doubt, refusal of self-examination.

World (XXI)

Upright – completion, integration, accomplishment, travel; Reversed – lack of completion, lack of closure.

Suit of Cups

Water element; governs emotions, relationships, feelings, creativity, imagination, fantasy.

Ace of Cups

Upright – love, compassion, creativity, overwhelming emotion; Reversed – blocked or repressed emotions.

Two of Cups

Upright – unified love, partnership, attraction, relationship; Reversed – break-up, imbalance, lack of harmony.

Three of Cups

Upright – celebration, friendship, creativity, community; Reversed – affair, ‘three’s a crowd’, stifled creativity.

Four of Cups

Upright – meditation, contemplation, apathy, re-evaluation; Reversed – boredom, missed opportunity, aloofness.

Five of Cups

Upright – loss, regret, disappointment, despair, bereavement; Reversed – moving on, acceptance, forgiveness.

Six of Cups

Upright – reunion, nostalgia, childhood memories, innocence; Reversed – stuck in the past, naïveté, unrealistic views.

Seven of Cups

Upright – fantasy, illusion, wishful thinking, choices, imagination; Reversed – temptation, diversion, breaking illusion.

Eight of Cups

Upright – escapism, disappointment, abandonment, withdrawal; Reversed – aimless drifting, hopelessness, walking away.

Nine of Cups

Upright – wishes fulfilled, comfort, happiness, satisfaction; Reversed – greed, dissatisfaction, materialism.

Ten of Cups

Upright – harmony, marriage, happiness, alignment; Reversed – misaligned values, broken home or marriage.

Page of Cups

Upright – messenger, creative beginnings, synchronicity; Reversed – emotional immaturity, creative block.

Knight of Cups

Upright – romance, charm, ‘knight in shining armor’, imagination; Reversed – unrealistic, jealousy, moodiness.

Queen of Cups

Upright – emotional security, calm, intuitive, compassionate; Reversed – emotional insecurity, co-dependency.

King of Cups

Upright – emotional balance, control, generosity; Reversed – emotional manipulation, moodiness, volatility.

Suit of Pentacles

Earth element; material realm: work, money, property, prosperity, manifestation, proof, realization.

Ace of Pentacles

Upright – manifestation, new financial opportunity, prosperity; Reversed – lost opportunity, poor planning.

Two of Pentacles

Upright – balance, adaptability, time management, prioritization; Reversed – disorganization, financial disarray.

Three of Pentacles

Upright – teamwork, collaboration, learning, initial fulfillment; Reversed – lack of teamwork, disregard for skills.

Four of Pentacles

Upright – control, stability, security, possession, conservatism; Reversed – greed, materialism, self-protection.

Five of Pentacles

Upright – isolation, insecurity, financial loss, poverty; Reversed – recovery from loss, spiritual poverty.

Six of Pentacles

Upright – generosity, charity, sharing wealth, prosperity; Reversed – debt, selfishness, one-sided charity.

Seven of Pentacles

Upright – vision, perseverance, profit, reward, investment; Reversed – short-term view, limited success or reward.

Eight of Pentacles

Upright – apprenticeship, education, quality work, engagement; Reversed – perfectionism, lack of ambition or focus.

Nine of Pentacles

Upright – gratitude, luxury, self-sufficiency, culmination; Reversed – over-investment in work, financial setbacks.

Ten of Pentacles

Upright – wealth, inheritance, family, establishment, retirement; Reversed – financial failure, loneliness, loss.

Page of Pentacles

Upright – manifestation, financial opportunity, new job; Reversed – lack of progress, short-term focus.

Knight of Pentacles

Upright – efficiency, routine, methodical, conservatism; Reversed – laziness, boredom, feeling stuck.

Queen of Pentacles

Upright – practical, homely, motherly, down-to-earth, secure; Reversed – imbalance in work/family commitments.

King of Pentacles

Upright – security, control, power, discipline, abundance; Reversed – authoritarian, domineering, controlling.

Suit of Swords

Air element; mental realm: action, change, conflict, intellect, power, oppression, courage.

Ace of Swords

Upright – raw power, victory, breakthrough, mental clarity; Reversed – confusion, chaos, lack of clarity.

Two of Swords

Upright – indecision, truce, stalemate, blocked emotions; Reversed – confusion, information overload.

Three of Swords

Upright – painful separation, heartbreak, grief, sorrow; Reversed – releasing pain, optimism, forgiveness.

Four of Swords

Upright – contemplation, recuperation, rest, relaxation; Reversed – restlessness, burnout, lack of progress.

Five of Swords

Upright – conflict, tension, defeat, win at all costs, betrayal; Reversed – openness to change, past resentment.

Six of Swords

Upright – necessary transition, rite of passage, moving on; Reversed – inability to move on, carrying baggage.

Seven of Swords

Upright – betrayal, deception, stealth, getting away; Reversed – mental challenges, breaking free.

Eight of Swords

Upright – isolation, self-imposed restriction, imprisonment; Reversed – release, new perspectives.

Nine of Swords

Upright – nightmares, intense anxiety, despair, depression; Reversed – severe depression, torment, hopelessness.

Ten of Swords

Upright – betrayal, endings, defeat, crisis, loss; Reversed – recovery, regeneration, inevitable end.

Page of Swords

Upright – talkative, curious, energetic, mentally restless; Reversed – all talk, haste, undelivered promises.

Knight of Swords

Upright – opinionated, hasty, action-oriented, communicative; Reversed – scattered thought, reckless actions.

Queen of Swords

Upright – quick thinker, organized, perceptive, independent; Reversed – overly emotional, cold-hearted, harsh.

King of Swords

Upright – clear thinking, intellectual power, authority, truth; Reversed – manipulative, tyrannical, abusive.

Suit of Wands

Fire element; spiritual energy, inspiration, determination, creativity, ambition, personal power.

Ace of Wands

Upright – inspiration, power, creation, beginnings, potential; Reversed – delays, lack of motivation, weighed down.

Two of Wands

Upright – future planning, progress, decisions, discovery; Reversed – fear of the unknown, lack of planning.

Three of Wands

Upright – preparation, foresight, enterprise, expansion; Reversed – lack of foresight, delays, obstacles.

Four of Wands

Upright – celebration, harmony, home, marriage, community; Reversed – communication breakdown, transition.

Five of Wands

Upright – disagreement, competition, strife, tension, conflict; Reversed – conflict avoidance, diversity.

Six of Wands

Upright – public recognition, victory, progress, confidence; Reversed – egotism, disrepute, fall from grace.

Seven of Wands

Upright – challenge, competition, perseverance; Reversed – giving up, overwhelmed, overly protective.

Eight of Wands

Upright – speed, action, movement, swift change, air travel; Reversed – delays, frustration, holding off.

Nine of Wands

Upright – courage, persistence, test of faith, resilience; Reversed – defensive, hesitant, paranoia.

Ten of Wands

Upright – burden, responsibility, hard work, stress, achievement; Reversed – taking on too much, avoiding responsibility.

Page of Wands

Upright – enthusiasm, exploration, discovery, free spirit; Reversed – setbacks, pessimism, lack of direction.

Knight of Wands

Upright – energy, passion, lust, action, adventure, impulsiveness; Reversed – haste, scattered energy, frustration.

Queen of Wands

Upright – exuberance, warmth, vibrancy, determination; Reversed – shrinking violet, aggressive, demanding.

King of Wands

Upright – natural-born leader, vision, entrepreneur, honor; Reversed – impulsiveness, haste, ruthless expectations.