Tarot Card Meanings — Upright and Reversed
The upright and reversed meaning of Death, The Lovers, The Moon and the Major Arcana. Find your card and its interpretation — a categorised dictionary.
22 symbols
No matching symbol.
Major Arcana
- The Fool
- A new beginning and the courage to step into the unknown. Reversed: a rash step, an unconsidered risk.
- The Magician
- The will to gather what's at hand and act. Reversed: unused potential, or intentions that aren't quite honest.
- The High Priestess
- Trusting intuition and patiently waiting on knowledge not yet revealed. Reversed: a suppressed inner voice, feeling disconnected from yourself.
- The Empress
- Abundance, nurture and creative fertility. Reversed: blocked creativity, or an unhealthy dependence.
- The Emperor
- Building solid structure, protecting through discipline. Reversed: rigid control, a lack of flexibility.
- The Hierophant
- Drawing strength from tradition or guidance. Reversed: pushing back against convention to find your own path.
- The Lovers
- A heartfelt bond, or an important choice. Reversed: misalignment, or a decision you're struggling with.
- The Chariot
- Advancing toward a goal through sheer will. Reversed: a loss of direction, losing control of the wheel.
- Strength
- Overcoming difficulty with patience and compassion, not force. Reversed: low self-confidence, patience running thin.
- The Hermit
- Withdrawing to reflect, a search for wisdom. Reversed: isolation tipping into loneliness, feeling lost.
- Wheel of Fortune
- An unexpected turn in life's cyclical flow. Reversed: the same cycle repeating, luck turning the wrong way.
- Justice
- Balance, truth, and facing the consequences of a decision. Reversed: unfairness, or something left unaccounted for.
- The Hanged Man
- Pausing to surrender and see things from a new angle. Reversed: needless resistance, time spent waiting for nothing.
- Death
- A chapter closing to make way for a new beginning. Reversed: resisting change, staying stuck in the past.
- Temperance
- A patiently blended balance and harmony. Reversed: excess, or a balance that's been lost.
- The Devil
- Facing the shadow side of a dependency or a trap. Reversed: breaking those chains and finding freedom.
- The Tower
- A sudden, jarring truth that clears the air. Reversed: a crisis postponed but not avoided forever.
- The Star
- Hope, inspiration and healing after a hard stretch. Reversed: a moment where hope or faith runs thin.
- The Moon
- Wandering through uncertainty and the subconscious. Reversed: the fog starting to lift, fears coming into focus.
- The Sun
- A stretch defined by clarity, joy and vitality. Reversed: a passing gloom, or happiness put off for later.
- Judgement
- An inner awakening, answering a call. Reversed: struggling to face the past, or being too self-critical.
- The World
- A cycle completing, the reward for the effort put in. Reversed: something left unfinished, a delayed close.
Frequently asked questions
What does it mean when a tarot card comes up reversed?
A reversed card carries the same theme turned inward, delayed or not yet matured — the meaning doesn't flip to its opposite, its direction shifts.
What's the difference between major and minor arcana?
The 22 major arcana speak to life's big turning points and archetypal themes; the 56 minor arcana cover everyday detail and smaller-scale matters.
Is the same card read the same way in every spread?
No. A card's traditional meaning is a starting point; its position in the spread (past, present, focus) and the cards drawn beside it shift the reading.
Is tarot reading real?
bakfal is for entertainment. Readings draw on traditional tarot symbolism and are not medical, legal or financial advice.