A tarot deck has 78 cards: 22 Major Arcana that describe the big themes of life, and 56 Minor Arcana in four suits that describe everyday events. This page lists the upright and reversed meaning of every card exactly as Fate Hall uses them in its readings.
How the deck is organised
- The Major Arcana (0–21) run from The Fool to The World and are often read as a journey: setting out, learning, meeting challenges and coming full circle. When several of them appear in one spread, the reading is said to be about a turning point rather than a passing mood.
- The Minor Arcana have four suits of fourteen cards — Ace to Ten, then the Page, Knight, Queen and King. Each suit is tied to one of the four Western elements and an area of life.
- Reversed cards. A card drawn upside down is "reversed". Its meaning is usually the same theme turned inward, blocked, delayed or overdone — not simply the opposite.
Fate Hall's card artwork is an original design. The meanings follow the widely used Rider–Waite–Smith tradition, in which Strength is card 8 and Justice card 11.
The Major Arcana
| # | Card | Upright | Reversed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | The Fool | New beginnings, freedom, innocent adventure | Recklessness, lack of preparation, carelessness |
| 1 | The Magician | Skill, manifestation, making things happen by will | Trickery, wasted talent, indecision |
| 2 | The High Priestess | Intuition, secrets, inner wisdom | Hidden motives, ignoring your intuition |
| 3 | The Empress | Abundance, love, creation and harvest | Dependence, overprotection, stagnation |
| 4 | The Emperor | Authority, stability, structure and responsibility | Tyranny, rigidity, need for control |
| 5 | The Hierophant | Tradition, teaching, trustworthy advice | Fixed ideas, formalism |
| 6 | The Lovers | Love, harmony, an important choice | Imbalance, conflict, the wrong choice |
| 7 | The Chariot | Willpower, forward motion, victory | Loss of direction, out of control |
| 8 | Strength | Courage, patience, gentle strength | Self-doubt, emotional outbursts |
| 9 | The Hermit | Reflection, searching, walking alone | Isolation, loneliness, avoidance |
| 10 | Wheel of Fortune | Turning point, good luck, a shift in the flow | Bad luck, stagnation, change beyond your control |
| 11 | Justice | Fairness, balance, cause and effect | Unfairness, dodging responsibility |
| 12 | The Hanged Man | A new perspective, sacrifice, waiting | Delays, pointless sacrifice |
| 13 | Death | Endings and new beginnings, transformation | Resisting change, clinging on |
| 14 | Temperance | Harmony, moderation, healing | Excess, imbalance |
| 15 | The Devil | Obsession, temptation, bondage | Release, breaking free of attachment |
| 16 | The Tower | Sudden change, collapse, revelation | Disaster averted, collapse postponed |
| 17 | The Star | Hope, healing, inspiration | Disappointment, loss of confidence |
| 18 | The Moon | Anxiety, the unconscious, illusion | Confusion lifting, the truth coming out |
| 19 | The Sun | Success, joy, vitality | A passing shadow, overconfidence |
| 20 | Judgement | Rebirth, awakening, a calling | Self-criticism, hesitation |
| 21 | The World | Completion, integration, achievement | Unfinished business, delayed closure |
Wands
Wands belong to Fire: energy, ambition, work and new ventures.
| Card | Upright | Reversed |
|---|---|---|
| Ace of Wands | New passion, inspiration | Delays, low motivation |
| Two of Wands | Planning, mapping out the future | Fear, indecision |
| Three of Wands | Expansion, opportunity arriving | Setbacks, narrow vision |
| Four of Wands | Celebration, a stable foundation | Instability, a time of transition |
| Five of Wands | Competition, conflict | Avoiding conflict, reconciliation |
| Six of Wands | Victory, recognition | Arrogance, falling from favor |
| Seven of Wands | Defense, holding your ground | Overwhelmed, giving up |
| Eight of Wands | Swift progress, news | Delays, confusion |
| Nine of Wands | Perseverance, the last hurdle | Exhaustion, defensiveness |
| Ten of Wands | Heavy responsibility | Putting down your burden |
| Page of Wands | Curiosity, good news | Distraction, immaturity |
| Knight of Wands | Adventure, drive | Impatience, recklessness |
| Queen of Wands | Confidence, charm | Jealousy, insecurity |
| King of Wands | Vision, leadership | Stubbornness, arrogance |
Cups
Cups belong to Water: feelings, love, friendship and intuition.
| Card | Upright | Reversed |
|---|---|---|
| Ace of Cups | New love, the start of feelings | Bottled-up emotions |
| Two of Cups | Connection, partnership | Discord, falling out of sync |
| Three of Cups | Friendship, celebration | Overindulgence, feeling left out |
| Four of Cups | Boredom, apathy | A new interest |
| Five of Cups | Loss, regret | Recovery, acceptance |
| Six of Cups | Nostalgia, innocence | Clinging to the past |
| Seven of Cups | Fantasy, too many choices | Facing reality |
| Eight of Cups | Leaving, searching for deeper meaning | Lingering attachment, hesitation |
| Nine of Cups | Wishes fulfilled | Too much self-satisfaction |
| Ten of Cups | Family happiness, harmony | Family discord |
| Page of Cups | Sensitivity, a confession | Emotional immaturity |
| Knight of Cups | Romance, a proposal | Unrealistic expectations |
| Queen of Cups | Empathy, intuition | Emotional overload |
| King of Cups | Emotional maturity, generosity | Emotional manipulation |
Swords
Swords belong to Air: thoughts, decisions, conflict and truth. They have a reputation as the "hard" suit, but most of their cards are about seeing clearly.
| Card | Upright | Reversed |
|---|---|---|
| Ace of Swords | Clarity, breakthrough | Confusion, misjudgment |
| Two of Swords | Stalemate, putting off a decision | Decisiveness, information overload |
| Three of Swords | Heartbreak, pain | Recovery, forgiveness |
| Four of Swords | Rest, recovery | Burnout, getting back on your feet |
| Five of Swords | Conflict, a selfish win | Reconciliation, regret |
| Six of Swords | Moving on, things getting better | Stuck, unresolved |
| Seven of Swords | Strategy, stealth | Getting caught, conscience |
| Eight of Swords | Feeling trapped, self-imposed limits | Release, a new perspective |
| Nine of Swords | Anxiety, worry | Hope, recovery |
| Ten of Swords | The end, rock bottom | The start of recovery |
| Page of Swords | Curiosity, vigilance | Gossip, hasty words |
| Knight of Swords | Charging ahead, bluntness | Recklessness, aggression |
| Queen of Swords | Sharp mind, independence | Coldness, isolation |
| King of Swords | Good judgment, authority | Abuse of power |
Pentacles
Pentacles belong to Earth: money, work, the body and the practical side of life.
| Card | Upright | Reversed |
|---|---|---|
| Ace of Pentacles | New opportunity, money | A missed opportunity |
| Two of Pentacles | Balance, juggling | Overload |
| Three of Pentacles | Collaboration, skill | Lack of teamwork |
| Four of Pentacles | Possession, security | Stinginess, clinging |
| Five of Pentacles | Hardship, going without | Recovery, help |
| Six of Pentacles | Sharing, generosity | An uneven exchange |
| Seven of Pentacles | Patience, investment | Impatience |
| Eight of Pentacles | Mastery, hard work | Perfectionism, repetition |
| Nine of Pentacles | Abundance, independence | Overspending |
| Ten of Pentacles | Wealth, legacy, family | Money troubles |
| Page of Pentacles | Learning, planning | Laziness |
| Knight of Pentacles | Diligence, consistency | Stagnation, boredom |
| Queen of Pentacles | Practical value, caring | Work-life imbalance |
| King of Pentacles | Abundance, success | Materialism |
Spreads
A spread gives each card a position, so the same card can mean something different depending on where it falls. These are the spreads you can draw on Fate Hall:
| Spread | Positions |
|---|---|
| One card | Today's message |
| Three cards | Past, Present, Future |
| Choice | Option A, Option B, Advice |
| Celtic Cross | 1. Current situation 2. Obstacle 3. Conscious mind (goal) 4. Unconscious (root) 5. Recent past 6. Near future 7. Yourself 8. Surroundings 9. Hopes and fears 10. Final outcome |
A one-card draw is a good daily prompt. The three-card spread shows a simple story over time, the choice spread compares two options, and the ten-card Celtic Cross is for a fuller look at one question.
Reading the cards
- Start with the overall picture. Many cards of one suit point to the area of life the reading is about; many Major Arcana suggest an important moment.
- Read the keywords as a starting point. The meanings above are short on purpose. Let the position in the spread and your question shape what a card is saying.
- Hard cards are not curses. Death is about endings and change, The Tower about sudden clarity, the Ten of Swords about hitting bottom so recovery can begin.
- Keep it light. Tarot is a mirror for reflection and conversation. Please don't use it to decide medical, financial or legal questions.
Common questions
Do I need my own deck? Not on Fate Hall — the cards are shuffled for you in your browser. If you prefer a physical deck, you can type in the cards you drew and read the same meanings.
Why do other sites give slightly different meanings? Tarot has many schools and every reader adds their own nuance. The keywords here are a common core that most readers would recognise.
Draw your tarot cards →Free, no sign-up. Everything is calculated in your browser.
Related guides
- The Fool’s JourneyThe Major Arcana read as one story: the Fool's journey in three rows of seven, a lesson for each card, and the astrological signs and planets linked to the cards.
- The Celtic Cross SpreadThe ten positions of the Celtic Cross, how to read the cross and the staff, patterns to look for, and the odds of reversed and Major Arcana cards in a ten-card spread.
- The 64 Hexagrams of the I ChingAll 64 hexagrams of the I Ching (Book of Changes) in King Wen order, with their trigrams and a plain-English summary, plus how a reading is cast with three coins and changing lines.
- The Five ElementsHow Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water feed and control one another, which stems and branches carry each element, and how to read the balance in your chart.