Tarot Cards List: All 78 Cards & Their Incredible Meanings

Welcome! Your intuition was right to click and land here…

I still remember the day I started my Tarot journey as if it was yesterday. I’d bought my first deck and opened it to figure out that there were 78 cards with different meanings. I thought, “How on earth will I remember 78 meanings?”.

You might have the same thoughts when you just bought your first deck. If so, don’t freak out and start playing around. You’ll notice that the more you get accustomed to the cards, the more they can give you great insights.

They can help you in the way you perceive and deal with the challenges in your life and can serve as a tool for self-exploration, identifying repeating negative patterns, transformations, and personal growth.

Without further ado, let’s dive into the captivating world of Tarot in this Tarot cards list and discover the true meaning of each card.

Key Takeaways:

• Tarot cards, a mystical deck of 78, hold deep wisdom. Divided into Major and Minor Arcana, Tarot cards guide your spiritual journey and life experiences.
• Major Arcana’s 22 cards tell a story of growth from innocence to enlightenment. These Tarot cards reveal cosmic forces, inner wisdom, and life lessons guiding you toward self-realization.
• The Minor Arcana’s 56 cards come in suits representing emotions, finances, communication, and creativity. These Tarot cards offer spiritual insights into everyday situations, relationships, and personal growth.

Tarot Cards List

Immerse yourself in the enchanting world of Tarot, a mystical universe composed of 78 evocative Tarot cards, each brimming with profound symbolism, vivid imagery, and captivating narratives.

This intricate deck of Tarot cards is bifurcated into two awe-inspiring sections – the Major Arcana and the Minor Arcana. We will start this tarot card meanings list with the 22 Major Arcana cards, followed by the 56 Minor Arcana cards.

Click any card from the complete list below for more insight.

The Major Arcana Tarot Cards List

Embark with us on a transformative exploration of the Major Arcana – a compelling suite of 22 Tarot cards forming the heart of the Tarot deck.

These potent Tarot cards mirror our soul’s deepest wisdom, echoing life’s profound lessons, karmic currents, and the grand archetypal narratives shaping our existence and the journey toward self-realization.

Imagine arranging the Major Arcana cards in a sequence, beginning with 0 (The Fool) and culminating at 21 (The World).

What unfolds is a captivating narrative akin to a spiritual odyssey, often called ‘The Fool’s Journey.’ This journey encapsulates the profound transformation of The Fool, from naivety to enlightenment, mirroring our own life’s journey.

As the protagonist of the Major Arcana, the Fool embarks on a mystical voyage across each card, encountering new guides and unlocking life-altering wisdom. This symbolic expedition mirrors our quest for understanding, growth, and fulfillment.

As we move from card to card in the Tarot deck, we navigate the cosmos of human experiences, from The Fool’s innocence to The World’s fulfillment, each card revealing a facet of our complex existence.

The Major Arcana invites you to step into the world of introspection and intuition, unveiling the underlying patterns and cosmic forces that drive your life.

Each card serves as a spiritual compass, guiding you through life’s twists and turns and helping you traverse the path of enlightenment.

In the vast tapestry of the Tarot, the Major Arcana cards weave a narrative that is as profound as it’s enlightening, providing insightful commentary on our collective human experience.

0. The Fool

The Fool tarot card is the number 0 of the Major Arcana, which stands for unlimited potential. To see the Fool card generally indicates that you’re on the verge of an unexpected and exciting new adventure in your daily life. This may require you to take a blind leap of faith.

There will be a rewarding experience that will contribute to your growth as a human being. The new adventure could be literal and may involve traveling to a new land or territories you’ve never visited.

• Upright: New beginnings, new ideas, innocence, and adventure
• Reversed: Recklesness, fearlessness, and risk
• Yes or No: Yes

1. The Magician

The Magician tarot card reveals how determination and willpower can realize your wishes and desires. When this card appears in your reading, you can be assured that you have the drive to make your dreams happen.

Remember: You’re powerful! And the outer world will follow if you create your inner world. Yet, you have to focus and concentrate on achieving your dream. Get rid of any discretions and make a detailed plan to stay on track.

• Upright: Willpower, creation, inner strength, and manifestation
• Reversed: Manipulation and illusions
• Yes or No: Yes

2. The High Priestess

When the High Priestess appears upright in a Tarot reading, she usually indicates a time for learning and listening to your intuition rather than prioritizing your intellect and conscious mind.

The High Priestess tells you to slow down, reflect on what you’ve learned, and acquire even more knowledge before deciding or taking action.

Her wisdom encourages you to relinquish the grip of anxiety over the result. Instead, place your faith in the discernment of these metaphorical gatekeepers.

Lastly, the High Priestess figure embodies the serenity of trust and the power of surrender, inviting you to step into the unknown with a courageous and open heart. Listen to your inner voice!

• Upright: Inner voice, unconscious, divine feminine, and security
• Reversed: Repressed feelings, withdrawal, and silence
• Yes or No: Yes

3. The Empress

In a reading, the upright Empress tarot card calls on you to connect with your feminine side. This can be translated in many ways – think of creativity, elegance, sensuality, fertility, and nurturing. She tells you to be kind to yourself and search for beauty and happiness. 

The Empress often brings strong bursts of creative or artistic energy. This creative energy may be in a painting or art project and other forms of expressing yourself creatively, like music or drama.

• Upright: Femininity, nurturing, fertility, abundance, and celebration
• Reversed: Dependence, smothering, and emptiness
• Yes or No: Yes

4. The Emperor

As the counterpart of the Empress, the Emperor signifies the husband who is constant and trustworthy. He is confident, in control of his emotions, and an example of masculine energy. He is the paternal figure who brings structure and security, creates rules and systems, and conveys knowledge.

As a ruler, he leads with a firm hand and demands respect and authority. With careful planning, a highly organized approach, and perseverance, the Emperor can overcome any problem.

This new level of mastery won’t just happen. You have to pursue your goals similarly to how the Emperor does, structured, strategically, and with much perseverance.

• Upright: Authority, structure, a father figure, and change
• Reversed: Excessive control, rigidity, and domination
• Yes or No: Yes

5. The Hierophant

When the Hierophant tarot card is upright in a reading, it represents a necessity to follow existing conventions, rules, or a well-established procedure.

It advises you to maintain conventional boundaries that are considered a standard method. Rather than being inventive and breaking norms, you will be familiarized with certain traditions, beliefs, and systems that have existed for a long time.

The Hierophant embodies a customary set of spiritual beliefs and is frequently associated with religion and other formal ideologies. Thus, this card suggests that you learn the necessary values from a trusted source such as a mentor or a spiritual counselor.

• Upright: Spiritual wisdom, tradition, conformity, morality, and ethics
• Reversed: Rebellion, subversiveness, freedom, and personal beliefs
• Yes or No: Neutral

6. The Lovers

The Lovers tarot card in the upright position can imply that you have major life-changing choices or dilemmas. Temptation is often part of that choice or dilemma.

You may feel unsure about your direction or who to trust. Or you may have to choose between contradicting and equally unifying options. The Lovers in Tarot advises you not to go for the easy road (temptation).

First, gather the information you need to make the right decision. If you face the problem and contemplate it wisely, it will lead you to greater things.

• Upright: Love, harmony, partnerships, and choices
• Reversed: Disbalance, one-sidedness, and disharmony
• Yes or No: Yes

7. The Chariot

When the upright Chariot tarot card shows up in a tarot reading, it tells you that now is the time to get what you want. Consider this card as a sign of encouragement.

The Chariot is about overcoming obstacles and achieving goals through determination, focus, and willpower. You will feel motivated, ambitious, and in control.

This will help you get a stagnant situation moving again and overcome all the challenges in your path.

Keep focused and believe in your abilities, and you will achieve your goal. The Chariot tells you that a triumph awaits you, and you’re fully in control.

This may mean you must compete with others or find yourself in a situation that feels like a battle. You’re pulled in opposite directions or feel like your strength and confidence are being tested.

• Upright: Direction, control, willpower, determination, success, action, and security
• Reversed: Lack of control, opposition, lack of direction, and self-discipline
• Yes or No: Yes

8. Strength

As the name suggests, the upright Strength tarot card represents strength, courage, persuasion, and patience. It tells you you have the power and strength to overcome any obstacle – just like the Chariot.

However, you’ll need to act gracefully and sensibly rather than just using brutal force when pulling the strength.

The card also tells you you can stay positive and calm and think logically in stressful situations that test your patience and strength.

Strength signifies that you can obtain true control of a situation through compassion, cunning, or understanding, not simply the power to impose your will.

The Strength tarot card indicates that you’re persevering and can achieve anything you want. You’re confident and don’t have problems being yourself and speaking up.

You’re committed to what you must do and go about it very well and maturely. Keep behaving this way, and you will succeed in anything you want.

• Upright: Strength, courage, compassion, focus, persuasion, and influence
• Reversed: Self-doubt, weakness, insecurity, low energy, and raw emotion
• Yes or No: Yes

9. The Hermit

In the upright position, the Hermit’s a compelling card. Just as beacons of light often guide ships to the shore, this sage is ushering in a period of personal growth and exploration. The Hermit represents wisdom earned by seeking the highest truth.

Often, looking for answers requires time alone with few distractions. It requires introspection and concentrating less on the senses.

• Upright: Wisdom, soul searching, solitude, spiritual enlightenment, receiving/giving guidance, and intuition
• Reversed: Loneliness, isolation, paranoia, sadness, being overcome or paralyzed by fear
• Yes or No: Yes

Although this can initially seem a little scary, committing to a personal quest for truth can be one of life’s most rewarding experiences.

10. Wheel of Fortune

Jupiter, the planet of good fortune and expansion, rules the Wheel of Fortune. If the Wheel of Fortune tarot card arrives upright, you’re lucky.

Whether you believe in destiny or not, things are lining up for your benefit. Think of surprising offers and new opportunities. Your vision will also increase as life’s tempo cranks up.

The Wheel of Fortune can also reveal psychic abilities within you or someone close. Consider this a chance to discover more about yourself and listen to your gut.

Now that your energy aligns with your spirit guides, angels, and other helpers, manifest your dreams. You can’t control the powers of the universe, but you can grow your understanding of your role in this life and the universe.

Just remember that there’s nothing to fear. Everything will work out according to divine intervention and timing.

• Upright: Chance, destiny and fate, karma, turning points, and a resolved conflict
• Reversed: Upheaval, lousy luck, unwelcome changes, and setbacks
• Yes or No: Yes

11. Justice

In the upright position, the Justice tarot card represents cause, effect, and balanced thought and action.

Sometimes we find ourselves the victims of someone else’s malicious intent. If you have been wronged in any way, Justice arrives to restore balance and order.

This isn’t to say that things will turn out as you want. However, pulling this card in reading supports the adage “All’s well that ends well.”

• Upright: Fairness, integrity, legal disputes, cause and effect, and life lessons
• Reversed: Injustice, dishonesty, failure to take responsibility, deceitful practices, and negative karma
• Yes or No: Neutral

12. The Hanged Man

The Hanged Man represents ‘the waiting game,’ often a part of life progression.

Although we are rarely happy about being stuck in limbo, there are times when nothing else can be done, and we are forced to be still, according to the Hanged Man. This often requires sacrificing people and things we would rather hold on to.

The Hanged Man tarot card wants you to know that sometimes, we must accept a loss for the greater good. Acceptance and letting go are key if you ever want to move forward.

• Upright: Letting go, sacrificing, pausing to reflect, uncertainty, and spiritual awakening
• Reversed: Discontentment, stagnation, negativity, no solution, and fear of sacrifice
• Yes or No: Maybe

13. Death

One of the reasons that the Death card is such a powerful one in the Upright position is because it carries so many different meanings.

For many readings, the Death Tarot card signifies completing a chapter, putting the past behind you, and cutting out what is unnecessary. It can also signify a transition or middle ground between one phase of life and the next.

The key is to welcome the Death card in a tarot spread instead of avoiding it. What path is number thirteen trying to point you toward? After all, there is no new beginning without an ending.

• Upright: Ending of a cycle, transitions, getting rid of excess, powerful movement, resolutions, and intuition
• Reversed: Resisting change, fear of new beginnings, dependency, and negative patterns
• Yes or No: Yes

14. Temperance

Avoid all extreme situations when pulling the Temperance card in your reading.

Although there are times to ‘go for the jugular,’ this isn’t the angel’s message. Some situations are complicated and require patience and special care, even when your emotions tell you to react.

Temperance is a skill; like any other skill, practice makes perfect. Hold back from quick judgment. Resist the temptation to react immediately.

Are there areas of your life in which you need to find balance? Could you benefit from learning to remain calm during moments of distress? Temperance has arrived to help you find the strength to do so.

• Upright: Balance, moderation, good health, cooperating with others, and diligence
• Reversed: Imbalance, discord, hastiness, overindulgence, and risky behavior
• Yes or No: Yes

15. Devil

The Devil is the card of illusion. Although you have total control of your life, beliefs, and choices, the Devil card symbolizes how addiction, depression, and unhealthy bonds can make you feel out of control.

Even social media, exercise, and work can be embodied by the Devil when in excess.

Regardless of the nature of your particular problem, the message of the Devil is clear: redirect your attention away from the satisfaction of desires and toward the things that matter.

• Upright: Material focus, material possessions, trapped in bondage, addictions, depression, negative thinking, and betrayal
• Reversed: Overcoming addiction, independence, reclaiming power, detachment, and freedom
• Yes or No: No

16. The Tower

If we had to redesign the Tower card to a more modern-day representation, a crashing airplane would be an accurate alternative image.

The Tower signifies destruction. If you’ve received the Upright Tower tarot card, prepare for things to be leveled and dismantled.

As with all losses, this will probably be a painful process. It can also lead to a fresh start. Before making these positive changes, you must face the truth about a situation.

Are you prepared to take your blinders off and take this personal crisis head-on? Seeing through illusions and letting go of what you wish things to be is the very first step.

• Upright: Intense and sudden change, release, painful loss, tragedy, and revelation
• Reversed: Resisting change, avoiding tragedy, a narrow escape, and delaying what is inevitable
• Yes or No: No

17. The Star

The universe abundantly blesses you (we). We are continually attracting what we desire through our beliefs and thoughts. When the Star arrives in the upright position, it usually follows a difficult change or traumatic event.

Going through something challenging can take the wind out of our sails and cause us to feel like things will never be the same. This might be true.

Death, loss, heartbreak, and other painful events can change us forever. This doesn’t mean we can’t build something better. What is it that you’re trying to heal from? The Upright Star wants you to open your heart, realize your inner strength, and have faith that the best is yet to come.

• Upright: Hope, renewal, creativity and inspiration, generosity, healing, and change
• Reversed: Despair, lack of hope, creative block, boredom, and focusing on the negative
• Yes or No: Yes

18. The Moon

When the Moon tarot card appears in a reading upright, it can mean that you’re allowing your imagination and emotions to take control of your life. This may be linked to anxieties, fears, or self-deception.

The Moon falling in a reading is a warning in a sense. You’re the crawfish rising from the sea. If you trust your intuition and push forward, you will receive deliverance from what binds you. But first, you must be willing to face the reality of the situation.

The upright Moon meaning is also associated with illusions. There may be a hidden truth in your life that you need to uncover. The Moon cautions you from accepting what things seem to be.

It may be time to dig a little deeper and allow the light to shine upon the fallacies in your life.

• Upright: Fear, anxiety, confusion, delusion, risk, and grief
• Reversed: Overcoming fear, emotional stability, finding the truth, conquering anxiety, and gaining clarity
• Yes or No: No

19. The Sun

The Sun tarot card in the upright position shows positivity and fulfillment in your life. Things will quickly improve if you have been through a hard time and the Sun falls upright.

The Sun reminds us to look at the bright side of things and remind ourselves that hard times don’t last forever. Even when faced with difficulties, we can choose to ‘make lemonade out of lemons’ and embrace life lessons for what they’re: learning tools.

With these lessons under your belt, struggles and sadness will soon be left in the past, and you will move on to brighter and better days. You can rest assured knowing that good things are in store for you if this Major Arcana card is front and center.

• Upright: Happiness, fertility, success, optimism, truth, and diligence
• Reversed: Sadness, procrastination, pessimism, lies, and failure
• Yes or No: Yes

20. Judgment

Now is the perfect time to weigh your actions and see that they align with your values and beliefs.

Do the things you did in the past or today reflect your core values and belief? Do they direct you to your goals and purpose?

Without having the clarity of knowing who you truly are, you can’t answer these questions. Take time to ponder on things before going on with your life. In the end, this will be worth it.

Another possible indication is to remind you that there may be choices and vital changes that you will face, and you can’t avoid them.

If you have made some in the past, there will be an effect on where you’re right now. Moreover, you should face the consequences with an open mind. You can’t do anything about the past – or what is done – and moving forward is your best bet.

• Upright: Reflection, inner calling, reckoning, awakening, rebirth, and absolution
• Reversed: Feeling down, self-doubt, and missing the call for fearlessness
• Yes or No: Neutral/Yes

21. The World

To encounter the upright World card in a tarot reading is to encounter success and accomplishment. It means that a long-term project, period of study, or any other major event in your life has come full circle and that you accomplished your goals and aspirations.

Despite your difficulties and hardships, you stood strong and persevered. Your seeds will bloom, and you’re reaping the fruit of your labor. Everything has come together, and you’re in the right place, doing the right thing, achieving what you have envisioned.

Be proud of what you’ve learned, your progression, and your achievements. Reflecting on what you’ve already accomplished may be what you need to complete your project.

• Upright: Fulfillment, harmony, completion, integration, travel, and unity
• Reversed: Incompletion, shortcuts, delays, and emptiness
• Yes or No: Yes

The Minor Arcana Tarot Cards List

The remaining 56 cards in the Tarot deck make up for the Minor Arcana. The Minor Arcana cards reflect daily life and can give more context and detail.

The Minor Arcana is divided into four suits (14 cards each): Wands, Pentacles, Cups, and Swords.

Starting with the Ace, the cards go up from the two towards the 10, then closing with four Court cards: Page, Knight, Queen, and lastly, the King (making it 14 cards).

Each of the suits in Minor Arcana has a ruling element you can see here below, corresponding to specific areas in life:

1. Suit of Cups: Element of Water – Emotions & Relationships
2. Suit of Pentacles: Element of Earth – Property & Achievement
3. Suit of Swords: Element of Air – Wisdom & Communication
4. Suit of Wands: Element of Fire – Passion & Inspiration

It’s important to consider these elements and areas when working with the Minor Arcana cards, making it much easier for an intuitive reading to happen (after a bit of practice)!

1. Suit of Cups

The Suit of Cups is related to the water element and deals with matters of the heart. The primary aspects that surround the Suit of Cups include love, emotions, and relationships.

Cards of the Suit of Cups can also bring attention to how you react to your environment. If mostly Cups cards appear in a reading, it indicates emotional dealings, such as happy family reunions and problems in a relationship.

• Ace of Cups: Feeling free, fulfillment, and a new beginning
• Two of Cups:  Happiness, relationships, and love
• Three of Cups:  Celebrations, good conversation, and reunions
• Four of Cups:  Depression, missed opportunities, and feeling stuck
• Five of Cups: Sadness, loss, and loneliness
• Six of Cups: Playful, nostalgic, and carefree
• Seven of Cups: Abundance of options, choices, and opportunities
• Eight of Cups: Abandonment, travel, and letting go
• Nine of Cups: Wishes coming true, fulfilled dreams, and prosperity
• Ten of Cups: Happiness, self-care, family reunions, and harmony
• Page of Cups: Idealism, youthfulness, and good news
• Knight of Cups: Romantic proposals, invitations, and following your heart
• Queen of Cups: Femininity, kindness, and sensitivity
• King of Cups: Good advice, creativity, and wisdom

2. Suit of Pentacles

Pentacles are the earth element and deal with finances, career, and achievement. These cards are known as “money cards” since they’re often associated with money-related decisions and financial windfalls.

When Pentacles appears in your reading, you’re likely seeking answers to the material things in your life. Now that we know the overall theme of these cards, let’s look at the meanings of each Pentacles card.

• Ace of Pentacles: New beginnings, prosperity, and abundance
• Two of Pentacles: Finding balance, multi-tasking, and perseverance
• Three of Pentacles: Teamwork, focused effort, and mastery
• Four of Pentacles: Release of the past, giving up control, and acceptance
• Five of Pentacles: Financial hardship, struggle, and lack of faith
• Six of Pentacles: Generosity, shared wealth, and prosperity
• Seven of Pentacles: Planning, perseverance, and long-term success
• Eight of Pentacles: Ambition, diligence, crafts, and talents
• Nine of Pentacles: Independence, prosperity, and refinement
• Ten of Pentacles: Inheritance, affluence, and good family life
• Page of Pentacles: Sticking to goals, practicality, and loyalty
• Knight of Pentacles: Consistency, strong will, and improvement
• Queen of Pentacles: Nurturing healer, self-care, down-to-earth, and gratitude
• King of Pentacles: Enterprising, abundance, and stability

3. Suit of Swords

Ruled by air, the Suit of Swords in a tarot reading stands for communication and action. Their strengths provide us with wisdom and clarity. The cards of the Suit of Swords encourage you to use your head when making decisions.

The cards of the Suit of Swords can also serve as a warning to pay closer attention to your surroundings – there could be a conflict on the horizon.

• Ace of Swords: Clarity, sound decision-making, and a breakthrough
• Two of Swords: Stalemate, coming to crossroads, and time to think
• Three of Swords: Heartbreak, sadness, grief, and a new phase
• Four of Swords: Anxiety, chronic stress, and chaos
• Five of Swords: Battles, arguments, and conflict
• Six of Swords: Letting go of hatred, healing, and moving forward
• Seven of Swords: Dishonesty, deceit, and manipulation
• Eight of Swords: Feeling stuck, unproductive, and hopeless
• Nine of Swords: Despair, hopelessness, and anxiety
• Ten of Swords: Mental breakdown, betrayal, and failure
• Page of Swords: Youthful, confidence, and fairness
• Knight of Swords: Bravery, accomplishment, and tenacity
• Queen of Swords: Supportive, empathetic, and independent
• King of Swords: Authority, logical, and fatherly

4. Suit of Wands

Like a magic rod, the Suit of Wands represents creativity, intuition, and new ideas.

Associated with the element of fire, the Suit of Wands aren’t passive cards. On the contrary, this suit represents determination and strength. It’s about pushing the limits to reach your goals and dreams. Key traits of the Suit of Wands include spirituality and consciousness.

The Suit of Wands addresses what is truly meaningful to you and tells you more about yourself, your core values, and your beliefs.

• Ace of Wands: Creativity, enthusiasm, self-reflection, and a fresh start
• Two of Wands: Decisions, travel, and personal power
• Three of Wands: Exploration and travel, leadership, and moving forward
• Four of Wands: Celebration, excitement, and homecoming
• Five of Wands: Competition, disagreements, rivalry, and challenges
• Six of Wands: Victory, triumph, and recognition
• Seven of Wands: Conviction, strong-willed, and determined
• Eight of Wands: Quick action, receiving news, a new perspective, and exciting times
• Nine of Wands: Perseverance, stamina, and courage
• Ten of Wands: Struggling, overextending, and feeling burdened
• Page of Wands: Outgoing, child-like cheerfulness, and creative confidence
• Knight of Wands: Charming, self-confident, and passionate
• Queen of Wands: Passionate, self-assured, and wholehearted
• King of Wands: Protective, innovative, inspiring, and magnetic

List of Tarot Cards: Closing Thoughts

In the end, reading Tarot is always a personal process, and each card in the Tarot deck is up for your unique interpretation. Once you understand the basics of Tarot, you can let your intuition kick in.

If you want to learn more about Major and Minor Arcana, sign up for our newsletter to receive a free cheat sheet and Tarot mini-course in your inbox.

Furthermore, I recommend reading articles about the top Tarot decks, my favorite books, and the most used Tarot spreads.

So now, you’re ready to go forth, explore various Tarot decks, and find the one that speaks to you. Once you find it, ask big questions and find guidance on whatever you seek.