Tarot guide

Tarot Card Meanings

All 78 cards, upright and reversed, in plain words.

A tarot deck has 78 cards. The 22 Major Arcana stand for the big lessons and turning points of a life. The 56 Minor Arcana, four suits of fourteen cards, speak to everyday matters: work, love, thoughts and plans. Choose a card to read its upright and reversed meaning and the keywords readers use to remember it.

Major Arcana

22 cards

Twenty-two cards, from The Fool to The World: the big lessons, turning points and characters of a life's journey.

Wands

14 cards

The suit of fire: energy, creativity, ambition and the spark that gets things started.

Cups

14 cards

The suit of water: love, emotions, friendship and intuition.

Swords

14 cards

The suit of air: thoughts, truth, decisions and conflict.

Pentacles

14 cards

The suit of earth: work, money, home, health and the things we build.

Make it yours

See your pet — or yourself — on the cards

A tarot deck made from your photo, only for you: from The Fool to The World, every card stars the one you love. See your first card free in about a minute.

Create your first card freePrefer pet-themed suits? See Purrs & Paws Pet Tarot

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Common questions about tarot card meanings

What does a reversed tarot card mean?

A card is reversed when it comes up upside down. Most readers take a reversed card as its upright meaning blocked, delayed or turned inward, rather than as its opposite. Every card page here gives both meanings.

Do I need to memorize all 78 cards?

No. Start with the keywords: they carry the heart of each card. Many people learn the deck one card at a time, drawing a card each day and reading its meaning.

What is the difference between the Major and Minor Arcana?

The 22 Major Arcana are the big themes, from The Fool to The World. The 56 Minor Arcana are the everyday details, in four suits: Wands for drive, Cups for feelings, Swords for thoughts and Pentacles for material life.

Can tarot predict the future?

Tarot works best as a tool for reflection: it helps you look at a situation from a new angle. Treat a reading as food for thought, not as a prediction or as professional advice.