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Major Arcana tarot card meanings

The 22 Major Arcana offer images for broad experiences such as beginning, choice, change and completion. They can help frame a question without establishing that an event is destined or beyond your control.

What are the Major Arcana?

In the Rider–Waite–Smith deck, this group runs from the Fool, numbered 0, through the World, numbered XXI. The scenes are not organized into the four suits used by the Minor Arcana. A card’s number, picture, position and your question can all contribute to a reading.

Some readers describe the sequence as a symbolic journey. That is one interpretive approach, not a requirement to fit every person’s life into the same progression.

All 22 Major Arcana cards

The Fool in the Rider–Waite–Smith deck

The Fool

beginnings, openness, a leap of faith

Upright, reversed and contextual meaning →
The Magician in the Rider–Waite–Smith deck

The Magician

initiative, resourcefulness, turning intention into action

Upright, reversed and contextual meaning →
The High Priestess in the Rider–Waite–Smith deck

The High Priestess

intuition, mystery, listening before acting

Upright, reversed and contextual meaning →
The Empress in the Rider–Waite–Smith deck

The Empress

nurturing, creativity, abundance

Upright, reversed and contextual meaning →
The Emperor in the Rider–Waite–Smith deck

The Emperor

structure, boundaries, responsible leadership

Upright, reversed and contextual meaning →
The Hierophant in the Rider–Waite–Smith deck

The Hierophant

tradition, learning, shared values

Upright, reversed and contextual meaning →
The Lovers in the Rider–Waite–Smith deck

The Lovers

alignment, relationship, a values-based choice

Upright, reversed and contextual meaning →
The Chariot in the Rider–Waite–Smith deck

The Chariot

determination, direction, disciplined progress

Upright, reversed and contextual meaning →
Strength in the Rider–Waite–Smith deck

Strength

courage, patience, compassionate self-control

Upright, reversed and contextual meaning →
The Hermit in the Rider–Waite–Smith deck

The Hermit

reflection, solitude, inner guidance

Upright, reversed and contextual meaning →
Wheel of Fortune in the Rider–Waite–Smith deck

Wheel of Fortune

cycles, change, a turning point

Upright, reversed and contextual meaning →
Justice in the Rider–Waite–Smith deck

Justice

fairness, accountability, consequences

Upright, reversed and contextual meaning →
The Hanged Man in the Rider–Waite–Smith deck

The Hanged Man

pause, surrender, a different perspective

Upright, reversed and contextual meaning →
Death in the Rider–Waite–Smith deck

Death

ending, transition, making room for renewal

Upright, reversed and contextual meaning →
Temperance in the Rider–Waite–Smith deck

Temperance

balance, integration, patient adjustment

Upright, reversed and contextual meaning →
The Devil in the Rider–Waite–Smith deck

The Devil

attachment, compulsion, examining constraints

Upright, reversed and contextual meaning →
The Tower in the Rider–Waite–Smith deck

The Tower

disruption, revelation, unstable foundations

Upright, reversed and contextual meaning →
The Star in the Rider–Waite–Smith deck

The Star

hope, renewal, trust in a longer process

Upright, reversed and contextual meaning →
The Moon in the Rider–Waite–Smith deck

The Moon

uncertainty, dreams, emotions beneath the surface

Upright, reversed and contextual meaning →
The Sun in the Rider–Waite–Smith deck

The Sun

joy, vitality, openness, clarity

Upright, reversed and contextual meaning →
Judgement in the Rider–Waite–Smith deck

Judgement

awakening, self-evaluation, answering a call

Upright, reversed and contextual meaning →
The World in the Rider–Waite–Smith deck

The World

completion, integration, a meaningful milestone

Upright, reversed and contextual meaning →

What does “trumps” mean in tarot?

In tarot-reading guides, “trumps” is often used for the Major Arcana group. Tarot is also used for card games, where rules and the Fool’s role can differ. This guide concerns reflective readings with the Rider–Waite–Smith deck, not instructions for a particular card game.

Major Arcana versus Minor Arcana

The Major Arcana often frame a broad theme or a turning point. The 56 Minor Arcana offer suit-based scenes and court cards that can bring the question into everyday detail. “Major” does not mean that a card is objectively more powerful or that a reading with only Minor Arcana is unimportant.

For example, Justice may frame a question about fairness and responsibility. The Six of Pentacles can bring attention to a particular exchange of support. Both can be relevant to the same situation at different levels.

How to interpret a Major Arcana card

Start with the actual question. The Fool as advice before a small creative experiment may invite curiosity; it does not tell you to ignore risks or abandon responsibilities. A dramatic card image is not literal evidence of danger.

If several Major Arcana appear, ask whether the broad themes connect. Do not infer that the situation is fated or that you have lost your ability to choose. You still need practical information and, where relevant, professional advice.

Learn the process in how to read tarot cards, browse the full 78-card dictionary, or practice with a single-card reading.