All 78 Tarot Cards & Their Meanings: The Ultimate Guide

Introduction

A tarot deck isn't just a collection of 78 cards; it's a symbolic map of the human journey, a visual language for the soul's evolution. From the epic archetypes of the Major Arcana that mark significant life shifts to the everyday situations in the Minor Arcana that color our daily experiences, each card holds a unique piece of wisdom. For anyone new to tarot, learning the meanings of all tarot cards at once can feel overwhelming, but this guide is designed to simplify that process.

Here, you'll find a clear breakdown of the deck's structure, an explanation of the four suits, and a complete list of meanings for every card—both upright and reversed. This reference will serve as your foundation, helping you build the confidence to move beyond simple definitions and toward intuitive, insightful readings for self-reflection, creative problem-solving, and personal growth.

Let's begin by exploring the foundational structure of the deck before diving into the individual card meanings.

Understanding the Structure of the Tarot Deck

A standard tarot deck is a system of 78 cards, each with its own unique imagery and symbolism. This deck is not just a random collection of images; it's a structured spiritual tool divided into two distinct parts: the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. Understanding this fundamental division is the first step to mastering the meanings of all tarot cards. The Major Arcana represents significant life events and overarching spiritual themes, while the Minor Arcana details the day-to-day situations and experiences that color our lives.

Think of the tarot deck as a book of wisdom. The Major Arcana cards are the chapter titles, outlining the grand narrative of your life's journey. The Minor Arcana cards are the paragraphs and sentences within those chapters, providing the context, actions, and emotions that make up the story. By learning how these two sections work together, you unlock a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the messages the cards have for you.

Now that we have established the two main divisions, a deeper look at their distinct roles reveals how to gauge the weight and focus of any reading.

What is the Difference Between Major and Minor Arcana?

While both parts of the deck are essential for a complete reading, they operate on different energetic levels. The Major Arcana speaks to the soul's journey and its karmic lessons, while the Minor Arcana speaks to the practicalities of the human experience. Recognizing which type of card appears in a reading helps you gauge the significance of the message being delivered.

The Major Arcana: Life's Karmic Lessons

The Major Arcana consists of 22 cards, numbered 0 through XXI. These cards represent powerful archetypes and profound spiritual lessons that are impacting your life on a deep level. When a Major Arcana card appears, it signals a time of significant transformation, a major life decision, or a karmic lesson that requires your attention. These are the "big picture" cards that highlight the universal themes of the human experience, often told through the narrative framework known as "The Fool's Journey"—a story of an innocent soul moving through life and gaining wisdom.

The Minor Arcana: The Nuances of Daily Life

The remaining 56 cards make up the Minor Arcana. These cards reflect the everyday trials, triumphs, thoughts, and feelings that we all experience. They are the practical details that flesh out the larger story told by the Major Arcana. The Minor Arcana is further divided into four suits, much like a standard deck of playing cards, each governing a specific area of life. When these cards dominate a reading, the focus is typically on more immediate situations, personal interactions, and the practical steps you can take to navigate your current circumstances.

With the Minor Arcana's focus on daily life, understanding its four suits is key to unlocking its specific and actionable messages.

What Do the Four Tarot Suits Represent?

The 56 cards of the Minor Arcana are organized into four suits, each containing 14 cards (Ace through Ten, plus four Court Cards: Page, Knight, Queen, and King). Each suit is connected to one of the four classical elements, which in turn defines its core themes and the area of life it represents.

• The Suit of Wands (Fire): This suit governs passion, ambition, creativity, action, and willpower. The element of Fire brings energy and drive, making Wands cards about inspiration, career goals, personal growth, and the spark of new ideas.
• The Suit of Cups (Water): Representing the element of Water, this suit delves into the realm of emotions, relationships, intuition, and creativity. Cups cards speak to matters of the heart, love, friendships, feelings, and our subconscious mind.
• The Suit of Swords (Air): Connected to the element of Air, the Suit of Swords rules our thoughts, intellect, communication, and challenges. These cards often represent mental clarity, truth, difficult decisions, conflict, and the power of words.
• The Suit of Pentacles (Earth): This suit is tied to the element of Earth and governs the material world. Pentacles cards relate to finances, career, work, physical health, property, and our connection to the natural world. They speak of manifestation, security, and tangible results.

Now that we have a map of the deck's structure, we can dive into our comprehensive tarot card meanings list, starting with the profound Major Arcana.

The Major Arcana: A List of Tarot Cards and Their Meanings

The 22 cards of the Major Arcana represent the core of the human experience, from moments of pure innocence to the culmination of profound wisdom.

0. The Fool

Upright: New beginnings, innocence, spontaneity, a leap of faith. The Fool encourages you to embrace the unknown with an open heart and a sense of wonder. Reversed: Recklessness, naivety, being held back by fear. You may be ignoring risks or, conversely, are too afraid to take a necessary leap of faith.

I. The Magician

Upright: Manifestation, willpower, resourcefulness, inspired action. You have all the tools and resources you need to turn your vision into reality. Reversed: Manipulation, poor planning, untapped talents. Power is being used in a deceptive way, or you are not using your skills to their full potential.

II. The High Priestess

Upright: Intuition, subconscious mind, secrets, divine feminine. This card urges you to trust your inner voice and look beyond the obvious. Reversed: Secrets revealed, repressed intuition, ignoring your gut feelings. You may be disconnected from your inner wisdom or ignoring important red flags.

III. The Empress

Upright: Femininity, beauty, nature, nurturing, abundance. This card represents creation, fertility, and connecting with your senses to enjoy the beauty of life. Reversed: Creative block, dependence on others, feeling stifled. There may be a disconnect from your creative or nurturing side.

IV. The Emperor

Upright: Authority, structure, control, father figure. The Emperor signifies stability, order, and the power of strategic thinking to achieve goals. Reversed: Domination, excessive control, rigidity, lack of discipline. This indicates an abuse of power or a complete lack of structure and self-control.

V. The Hierophant

Upright: Tradition, conformity, spiritual wisdom, institutions. This card points to established beliefs, education, and finding guidance from a trusted source. Reversed: Rebellion, personal beliefs, freedom, challenging the status quo. You are forging your own path and questioning established traditions.

VI. The Lovers

Upright: Love, harmony, relationships, value alignment, choices. This card represents a deep connection and making choices that are true to your core values. Reversed: Disharmony, misalignment of values, relationship issues. There is a conflict or imbalance in a key relationship or within yourself.

VII. The Chariot

Upright: Control, willpower, victory, assertion, determination. The Chariot signifies successfully overcoming obstacles through confidence and determination. Reversed: Lack of control, lack of direction, aggression. You may be moving forward without a clear plan or using force where it isn't needed.

VIII. Strength

Upright: Strength, courage, patience, compassion, self-control. This card represents inner strength and the ability to tame your primal instincts with gentleness. Reversed: Weakness, self-doubt, lack of self-control. You may be feeling insecure or letting your base impulses rule your actions.

IX. The Hermit

Upright: Soul-searching, introspection, inner guidance, solitude. The Hermit encourages you to withdraw from the world to find wisdom within. Reversed: Isolation, loneliness, withdrawal from society. You may be too isolated, or you are avoiding necessary introspection.

X. Wheel of Fortune

Upright: Good luck, karma, life cycles, destiny, a turning point. This card signals that change is inevitable and a new cycle is beginning. Reversed: Bad luck, resistance to change, breaking cycles. You may be experiencing a downturn or resisting a necessary change in your life.

XI. Justice

Upright: Justice, fairness, truth, cause and effect, law. This card indicates that a fair and balanced decision will be made. Your actions have consequences. Reversed: Unfairness, lack of accountability, dishonesty. An injustice may be occurring, or you are avoiding taking responsibility for your actions.

XII. The Hanged Man

Upright: Suspension, new perspectives, surrender, letting go. The Hanged Man asks you to pause and look at things from a different angle. Reversed: Stalling, resistance, martyrdom, needless sacrifice. You are resisting a necessary pause or making sacrifices for the wrong reasons.

XIII. Death

Upright: Endings, change, transformation, transition. This card rarely signifies literal death; instead, it points to the end of one phase to make way for a new one. Reversed: Resistance to change, personal transformation, inner purging. You are holding on to something that needs to be released.

XIV. Temperance

Upright: Balance, moderation, patience, finding a middle ground. Temperance is about blending different elements of your life to create harmony and peace. Reversed: Imbalance, excess, extremism, lack of long-term vision. Your life is out of balance, and you may be engaging in excessive behaviors.

XV. The Devil

Upright: Bondage, addiction, materialism, negative patterns. This card highlights attachments and self-imposed limitations that are holding you back. Reversed: Breaking free, detachment, reclaiming power. You are becoming aware of and breaking free from negative patterns or addictions.

XVI. The Tower

Upright: Sudden change, upheaval, chaos, revelation, awakening. The Tower represents a sudden, dramatic change that destroys a false reality to reveal the truth. Reversed: Avoidance of disaster, fear of change, resisting transformation. You are trying to avoid a necessary upheaval, which may only prolong the inevitable.

XVII. The Star

Upright: Hope, faith, purpose, renewal, spirituality. After the storm of The Tower, The Star brings a sense of peace, inspiration, and renewed hope for the future. Reversed: Lack of faith, despair, disconnection. You may have lost hope or feel disconnected from your purpose.

XVIII. The Moon

Upright: Illusion, fear, anxiety, subconscious, intuition. The Moon represents the hidden and unknown, urging you to trust your intuition to navigate through uncertainty. Reversed: Release of fear, repressed emotion, inner confusion. Hidden truths are coming to light, or you are finally addressing deep-seated fears.

XIX. The Sun

Upright: Positivity, fun, warmth, success, vitality. The Sun is a card of pure joy, clarity, and abundance. It shines a light on your path forward. Reversed: Inner child, feeling down, overly optimistic. You may be temporarily feeling a lack of joy, or your optimism is clouding your judgment.

XX. Judgement

Upright: Judgement, rebirth, inner calling, absolution. This card represents a moment of awakening where you reflect on your past and are ready to move forward. Reversed: Self-doubt, inner critic, ignoring the call. You are being too hard on yourself or ignoring a call to a higher purpose.

XXI. The World

Upright: Completion, integration, accomplishment, travel. The World signifies the successful completion of a cycle, bringing a sense of wholeness and fulfillment. Reversed: Lack of completion, seeking closure, shortcuts. A journey is incomplete, or you are looking for a way to avoid doing the necessary work.

While the Major Arcana lays the foundation of our life's journey, the Minor Arcana fills in the rich, practical details of our day-to-day experiences.

The Minor Arcana: A Complete Tarot Card Meanings List

The Minor Arcana details the practicalities of life through its four suits. Here is a complete list of tarot cards and their meanings within this section of the deck.

The Suit of Wands (Fire)

The Wands represent action, ambition, and the creative spark.

• Ace of Wands: Upright: Inspiration, new opportunities, growth, potential. Reversed: Lack of energy, lack of passion, delays.
• Two of Wands: Upright: Future planning, making decisions, leaving home. Reversed: Fear of the unknown, lack of planning.
• Three of Wands: Upright: Expansion, foresight, overseas opportunities. Reversed: Delays, frustration, holding back.
• Four of Wands: Upright: Celebration, joy, harmony, homecoming. Reversed: Lack of support, instability, transience.
• Five of Wands: Upright: Conflict, competition, disagreements, tension. Reversed: Avoiding conflict, finding agreement.
• Six of Wands: Upright: Public recognition, victory, success, progress. Reversed: Private success, fall from grace, egotism.
• Seven of Wands: Upright: Challenge, competition, perseverance, standing your ground. Reversed: Giving up, overwhelmed, exhaustion.
• Eight of Wands: Upright: Rapid action, movement, quick decisions, travel. Reversed: Delays, frustration, slowing down.
• Nine of Wands: Upright: Resilience, courage, persistence, last stand. Reversed: On edge, defensive, paranoia, giving up.
• Ten of Wands: Upright: Burden, extra responsibility, hard work, stress. Reversed: Delegating, releasing burdens, burnout.
• Page of Wands: Upright: Enthusiasm, exploration, creative spark. Reversed: Lack of direction, procrastination, creating drama.
• Knight of Wands: Upright: Energy, passion, adventure, impulsiveness. Reversed: Haste, scattered energy, frustration.
• Queen of Wands: Upright: Courage, confidence, independence, social butterfly. Reversed: Selfishness, jealousy, insecurity.
• King of Wands: Upright: Natural-born leader, vision, entrepreneur, honor. Reversed: Impulsiveness, haste, ruthless, high expectations.

The Suit of Cups (Water)

The Cups explore our emotions, relationships, and intuition.

• Ace of Cups: Upright: New love, compassion, creativity, emotional fulfillment. Reversed: Blocked or repressed emotions, self-love.
• Two of Cups: Upright: Unified love, partnership, mutual attraction. Reversed: Break-up, disharmony, distrust.
• Three of Cups: Upright: Celebration, friendship, creativity, collaborations. Reversed: An affair, gossip, isolation.
• Four of Cups: Upright: Apathy, contemplation, disconnection, re-evaluation. Reversed: Retreat, withdrawal, checking in for alignment.
• Five of Cups: Upright: Regret, failure, disappointment, pessimism. Reversed: Personal setbacks, self-forgiveness, moving on.
• Six of Cups: Upright: Revisiting the past, childhood memories, innocence, joy. Reversed: Living in the past, forgiveness, lacking playfulness.
• Seven of Cups: Upright: Opportunities, choices, wishful thinking, illusion. Reversed: Alignment, personal values, overwhelmed by choices.
• Eight of Cups: Upright: Disappointment, abandonment, withdrawal, escapism. Reversed: Trying one more time, indecision, fear of moving on.
• Nine of Cups: Upright: Contentment, satisfaction, gratitude, wish come true. Reversed: Dissatisfaction, materialism, indulgence.
• Ten of Cups: Upright: Divine love, blissful relationships, harmony, alignment. Reversed: Disconnection, misaligned values, struggling relationships.
• Page of Cups: Upright: Creative opportunities, intuitive messages, curiosity. Reversed: Creative blocks, emotional immaturity.
• Knight of Cups: Upright: Romance, charm, imagination, beauty. Reversed: Unrealistic, moodiness, disappointment.
• Queen of Cups: Upright: Compassionate, caring, emotionally stable, intuitive. Reversed: Emotional insecurity, co-dependency.
• King of Cups: Upright: Emotionally balanced, compassionate, diplomatic. Reversed: Emotional manipulation, moodiness, volatility.

The Suit of Swords (Air)

The Swords cut through to the truth, representing our thoughts, words, and challenges.

• Ace of Swords: Upright: Breakthroughs, new ideas, mental clarity, success. Reversed: Confusion, clouded judgment, chaos.
• Two of Swords: Upright: Difficult choices, indecision, stalemate, truce. Reversed: Indecision, confusion, information overload.
• Three of Swords: Upright: Heartbreak, emotional pain, sorrow, grief. Reversed: Releasing pain, optimism, forgiveness.
• Four of Swords: Upright: Rest, relaxation, meditation, contemplation. Reversed: Exhaustion, burnout, stagnation.
• Five of Swords: Upright: Conflict, disagreements, competition, defeat. Reversed: Reconciliation, making amends, past resentment.
• Six of Swords: Upright: Transition, change, rite of passage, releasing baggage. Reversed: Personal transition, resistance to change, unfinished business.
• Seven of Swords: Upright: Betrayal, deception, getting away with something. Reversed: Imposter syndrome, keeping secrets.
• Eight of Swords: Upright: Self-imposed restriction, imprisonment, victim mentality. Reversed: Self-acceptance, new perspective, freedom.
• Nine of Swords: Upright: Anxiety, worry, fear, depression, nightmares. Reversed: Inner turmoil, deep-seated fears, releasing worry.
• Ten of Swords: Upright: Painful endings, deep wounds, betrayal, loss. Reversed: Recovery, regeneration, resisting an inevitable end.
• Page of Swords: Upright: New ideas, curiosity, thirst for knowledge, energy. Reversed: Self-expression, all talk and no action, haste.
• Knight of Swords: Upright: Ambitious, action-oriented, driven to succeed. Reversed: Restless, unfocused, impulsive, burnout.
• Queen of Swords: Upright: Independent, unbiased judgment, clear boundaries. Reversed: Overly emotional, easily influenced, bitchy, cold-hearted.
• King of Swords: Upright: Mental clarity, intellectual power, authority, truth. Reversed: Quiet power, inner truth, misuse of power, manipulation.

The Suit of Pentacles (Earth)

The Pentacles connect us to the material world, including finances, work, and health.

• Ace of Pentacles: Upright: New financial or career opportunity, manifestation, prosperity. Reversed: Lost opportunity, lack of planning.
• Two of Pentacles: Upright: Multiple priorities, time management, prioritization. Reversed: Over-committed, disorganization, reprioritization.
• Three of Pentacles: Upright: Teamwork, collaboration, learning, implementation. Reversed: Disharmony, misalignment, working alone.
• Four of Pentacles: Upright: Saving money, security, conservatism, scarcity mindset. Reversed: Over-spending, greed, self-protection.
• Five of Pentacles: Upright: Financial loss, poverty, isolation, worry. Reversed: Recovery from financial loss, spiritual poverty.
• Six of Pentacles: Upright: Giving, receiving, sharing wealth, generosity, charity. Reversed: Self-care, unpaid debts, one-sided charity.
• Seven of Pentacles: Upright: Long-term view, sustainable results, perseverance. Reversed: Lack of long-term vision, limited success.
• Eight of Pentacles: Upright: Apprenticeship, repetitive tasks, mastery, skill development. Reversed: Self-development, perfectionism, misdirected activity.
• Nine of Pentacles: Upright: Abundance, luxury, self-sufficiency, financial independence. Reversed: Self-worth, over-investment in work.
• Ten of Pentacles: Upright: Wealth, financial security, family, long-term success. Reversed: Financial failure or loss, instability.
• Page of Pentacles: Upright: Manifestation, financial opportunity, skill development. Reversed: Lack of progress, procrastination, learn from failure.
• Knight of Pentacles: Upright: Hard work, productivity, routine, conservatism. Reversed: Self-discipline, boredom, feeling ‘stuck’.
• Queen of Pentacles: Upright: Nurturing, practical, providing financially, a working parent. Reversed: Financial independence, self-care, work-home conflict.
• King of Pentacles: Upright: Wealth, business, leadership, security, discipline. Reversed: Financially inept, obsessed with wealth, stubborn.

Having a comprehensive list of meanings is essential, but transforming that knowledge into wisdom requires consistent and personal engagement with the cards.

How to Learn All 78 Tarot Cards

Memorizing every card meaning is one way to learn, but truly understanding the tarot requires building a personal relationship with the cards. This practice moves beyond rote learning and into intuitive dialogue. Here are some practical techniques to help you move beyond memorization and connect with your intuition.

Start with a Daily Card Draw

The simplest and most effective method is to pull one card for yourself each morning. Ask a simple question like, "What energy should I focus on today?" or "What lesson does today hold for me?" Look at the card, consider its meaning, and reflect on how its theme appears throughout your day. This practice creates a daily, personal connection to the deck's wisdom and demonstrates its relevance in real-time.

Keep a Tarot Journal

A journal is an invaluable tool for learning. Each day, write down the card you pulled. Note its traditional upright and reversed meanings. More importantly, write down your own intuitive impressions based on the imagery, colors, and feelings it evokes. At the end of the day, add a few notes about how the card's energy manifested. Over time, this journal will become your personalized guide to the 78 tarot cards, creating a reference that is uniquely yours.

Tell a Story with the Cards

Tarot readings are stories. Practice by drawing three cards and laying them out in a row. Use them to create a simple narrative: the first card is the beginning (the situation), the second is the middle (the challenge or action), and the third is the end (the potential outcome). This exercise teaches you how cards interact and flow together, which is the foundation of effective reading. This technique is also a powerful tool for creative brainstorming, helping writers, artists, and strategists overcome blocks and explore new perspectives.

Focus on One Suit at a Time

Instead of trying to learn all 56 Minor Arcana cards at once, focus on one suit for a week. Immerse yourself in the Suit of Cups, for example. Study each card, notice the progression from Ace to Ten, and feel the emotional, watery energy that connects them. This method helps you master the core themes of each element before moving on to the next, building a solid and structured understanding.

Connect with the Imagery

Don't just read the meaning in a book—look at the card itself. What is happening in the picture? What colors are used? What symbols do you notice? The artwork in a tarot deck is rich with symbolism. Allowing your intuition to respond to the images is often more powerful than memorizing a keyword. Ask yourself what the card feels like to you, and trust that inner knowing. This visual connection builds a personal lexicon that transcends traditional definitions.

Conclusion

Mastering the 78 cards of the tarot is less about rote memorization and more about understanding its elegant structure as a mirror to the human condition. By recognizing the interplay between the Major Arcana’s profound life lessons and the Minor Arcana’s everyday details, you transform the deck from a collection of images into a coherent narrative of personal experience. This framework provides the foundation, but the real learning begins when you build a personal, intuitive relationship with the cards.

Looking ahead, the true power of tarot in a modern context lies not in fortune-telling, but in its capacity to foster self-awareness, strategic thinking, and emotional intelligence. The techniques provided—from daily draws to journaling—are designed to bridge the gap between knowledge and wisdom. As you engage with the cards, you are not just interpreting symbols; you are starting a conversation with your inner self. The next era of personal growth will belong to those who can look within for answers, and the tarot is a powerful tool to facilitate that dialogue. The real question isn’t whether you can learn the cards—but how effectively you’ll use them to navigate your life with greater clarity, purpose, and confidence.