Tarot Card Meanings Guide
Overview
A tarot card meaning is the symbolic interpretation of one card in a standard 78-card deck: 22 Major Arcana for life themes and 56 Minor Arcana in four suits—Cups, Wands, Swords, and Pentacles. PullTarot lists upright and reversed readings for love, career, and daily reflection, as entertainment rather than a guaranteed outcome.
Key takeaways
- A standard tarot deck has 78 cards: 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana.
- Cups cover emotion and relationships; Wands cover drive; Swords cover decisions; Pentacles cover work and material life.
- Upright usually reads as the card’s energy in the open; reversed often reads as blocked, internalized, or delayed—not automatically “bad.”
- Look up a card after a tarot pull, then read it against your question rather than as a fixed prediction.
- PullTarot is the publisher of this 78-card library for readers in the United States and Canada.
Look up any card after a tarot pull, or study the full deck. Each page covers symbolism plus upright and reversed interpretations. Start the Major Arcana at The Fool tarot meaning, then return here or open a topic reading or spread layout.
Major Arcana
The 22 Major Arcana cards mark life's karmic lessons, major events, and turning points.
Together they form The Fool's Journey—a story of growth from innocence toward greater self-awareness.
Start with The Fool tarot meaning (card 0): new beginnings, a leap of faith, and the first step of the Major Arcana. That page is the gateway into all 78 meanings on PullTarot.
- Appear for milestones and deep transformation
- Signal high-stakes or long-arc themes in a reading
- Offer reflection prompts, not fixed predictions
The Fool
Major Arcana • 0
Upright: beginnings, innocence, spontaneity
The Magician
Major Arcana • 1
Upright: manifestation, power, action
The High Priestess
Major Arcana • 2
Upright: intuition, wisdom, secrets
The Empress
Major Arcana • 3
Upright: abundance, nurturing, fertility
The Emperor
Major Arcana • 4
Upright: authority, structure, leadership
The Hierophant
Major Arcana • 5
Upright: tradition, wisdom, religious beliefs
The Lovers
Major Arcana • 6
Upright: love, harmony, choices
The Chariot
Major Arcana • 7
Upright: willpower, determination, victory
Strength
Major Arcana • 8
Upright: courage, patience, compassion
The Hermit
Major Arcana • 9
Upright: introspection, solitude, guidance
Wheel of Fortune
Major Arcana • 10
Upright: change, cycles, fate
Justice
Major Arcana • 11
Upright: justice, fairness, truth
The Hanged Man
Major Arcana • 12
Upright: surrender, perspective, sacrifice
Death
Major Arcana • 13
Upright: transformation, endings, change
Temperance
Major Arcana • 14
Upright: balance, moderation, patience
The Devil
Major Arcana • 15
Upright: bondage, materialism, addiction
The Tower
Major Arcana • 16
Upright: disruption, change, revelation
The Star
Major Arcana • 17
Upright: hope, inspiration, renewal
The Moon
Major Arcana • 18
Upright: intuition, illusion, dreams
The Sun
Major Arcana • 19
Upright: joy, success, positivity
Judgement
Major Arcana • 20
Upright: rebirth, awakening, purpose
The World
Major Arcana • 21
Upright: completion, achievement, fulfillment
How to use this tarot card meanings guide
This hub lists all 78 tarot card meanings—Major and Minor Arcana—with upright and reversed notes for love, career, health, and personal growth.
Start with a card from a recent pull, or browse by suit when you are learning the deck.
- Open any card page for symbols, keywords, and context
- Compare upright vs reversed energy on the same card
- Cross-check with your question before drawing conclusions
Major Arcana (22): spiritual lessons and major life events.
Minor Arcana (56): Cups, Wands, Swords, and Pentacles for everyday situations.
Each suit has ten numbered cards (Ace–Ten) plus four court cards (Page, Knight, Queen, King).
A Brief History of Tarot
Tarot began in the 15th century as playing cards in Europe (World History Encyclopedia).
Early luxury decks such as the Visconti-Sforza tarot shaped the imagery in Renaissance Italy.
Centuries later the system was adapted for reflection and cartomancy. Readers still use these symbols for personal growth and intuitive practice.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tarot Card Meanings
What are tarot cards?
Tarot cards are a deck of 78 cards, each with unique imagery and symbolism. They are used for divination, self-reflection, and spiritual guidance, helping people gain insight into their lives and situations.
What is the difference between Major and Minor Arcana?
The Major Arcana consists of 22 cards representing major life events and spiritual lessons, while the Minor Arcana includes 56 cards divided into four suits, focusing on everyday experiences and challenges.
How do I interpret tarot card meanings?
Interpret tarot cards by considering their imagery, symbolism, and traditional meanings. Trust your intuition and reflect on how each card's message applies to your question or situation. Upright and reversed positions can offer different insights.
Can tarot predict the future?
Tarot is best used as a tool for guidance and self-discovery rather than fortune-telling. It can highlight potential outcomes and offer advice, but your actions and choices shape your future.
How many cards are in a tarot deck?
A standard tarot deck contains 78 cards: 22 Major Arcana cards representing life's spiritual lessons and turning points, and 56 Minor Arcana cards across four suits (Cups, Wands, Swords, Pentacles) with 14 cards each.
Where can I learn more about tarot?
Explore the PullTarot blog for tarot tips, spreads, and in-depth guides, or get a personalized tarot reading for deeper insight.
Continue with the PullTarot blog, the About PullTarot page, or a personalized tarot reading.
Understanding Tarot Card Meanings
How to interpret tarot cards for beginners?
Learn each card upright and reversed, then apply it to your question.
- Read the imagery and traditional keywords
- Note which suit/element is speaking
- Practice with simple three-card spreads
What do reversed tarot cards mean?
A reversal usually means the card's energy is blocked, internalized, or resisted—not simply “the opposite.”
- Blocked or delayed expression of the upright theme
- Inner process rather than outer event
- Shadow side or lesson you may be avoiding
Which tarot cards represent love?
Primary love cards include The Lovers, Two of Cups, and Ten of Cups.
- The Empress — nurturing love and creative fertility
- The High Priestess — intuitive, quiet connection
- Cups suit (Water) — emotions and relationships in general
What tarot cards indicate career success?
Career momentum often shows as The Magician, Three of Pentacles, or Ten of Pentacles.
- The Chariot — determination and follow-through
- The World — completion and recognition
- Pentacles suit (Earth) — work, money, and material results
Quick Tarot Elements Reference
Cups (Water) = Emotions & Love | Wands (Fire) = Energy & Passion | Swords (Air) = Intellect & Truth | Pentacles (Earth) = Material & Prosperity
Understanding the Tarot Deck Structure
A standard tarot deck has 78 cards in two sections:
- Major Arcana (22) — spiritual lessons, karmic themes, and major turning points.
- Minor Arcana (56) — Cups, Wands, Swords, and Pentacles for daily life.
Inside each suit you will find:
- Ten numbered cards (Ace through Ten)
- Four court cards (Page, Knight, Queen, King)
Where Tarot Card Meanings Come From
Most modern English-language meanings follow the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition, published in 1909 by Arthur Edward Waite with art by Pamela Colman Smith.
Waite's explanations appear in The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, a public-domain primary source.
PullTarot's upright and reversed write-ups build on that lineage for reflection and entertainment—not medical, legal, or financial outcomes.
Earlier 15th-century decks, including the Visconti-Sforza cards, began as game cards.
Cartomancy came later (historical overview). Treat each meaning as documented symbolism—not a random oracle.
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