A standard tarot deck has 78 cards: 22 Major Arcana, which describe big life themes, and 56 Minor Arcana, which describe everyday events. The Minor Arcana splits into four suits of 14 cards (Cups, Pentacles, Swords and Wands), each with Ace to Ten plus four court cards. TarotDew uses the 1909 Rider–Waite–Smith artwork, now in the public domain.
- 78 cards: 22 Major Arcana + 56 Minor Arcana.
- Four suits of 14: Cups (water), Pentacles (earth), Swords (air), Wands (fire).
- 16 court cards: Page, Knight, Queen and King of each suit.
- Art: Pamela Colman Smith's 1909 Rider–Waite–Smith deck (public domain).
Major Arcana (22 cards)
The Foolnew beginnings, spontaneityYes
The Magicianwillpower, skillYes
The High Priestessintuition, inner knowingMaybe
The Empressabundance, nurturingYes
The Emperorstructure, authorityYes
The Hierophanttradition, guidanceMaybe
The Loversconnection, choiceYes
The Chariotdetermination, driveYes
Strengthinner strength, patienceYes
The Hermitsolitude, reflectionNo
Wheel of Fortunecycles, changeYes
Justicefairness, truthMaybe
The Hanged Manpause, surrenderMaybe
Deathtransformation, endingsNo
Temperancebalance, moderationYes
The Devilattachment, temptationNo
The Towersudden change, upheavalNo
The Starhope, renewalYes
The Moonintuition, dreamsMaybe
The Sunjoy, vitalityYes
Judgementawakening, reflectionYes
The Worldcompletion, fulfillmentYesSuit of Wands (14 cards)
Ace of Wandsspark, inspirationYes
Two of Wandsplanning, choicesMaybe
Three of Wandsexpansion, foresightYes
Four of Wandscelebration, homecomingYes
Five of Wandscompetition, frictionNo
Six of Wandsvictory, recognitionYes
Seven of Wandsdefense, perseveranceMaybe
Eight of Wandsspeed, swift newsYes
Nine of Wandsresilience, last stretchMaybe
Ten of Wandsburden, overcommitmentNo
Page of Wandscuriosity, enthusiasmYes
Knight of Wandsadventure, passionMaybe
Queen of Wandsconfidence, warmthYes
King of Wandsleadership, visionYesSuit of Cups (14 cards)
Ace of Cupsnew feelings, compassionYes
Two of Cupspartnership, mutual attractionYes
Three of Cupsfriendship, celebrationYes
Four of Cupsapathy, contemplationNo
Five of Cupsgrief, regretNo
Six of Cupsnostalgia, childhoodYes
Seven of Cupsoptions, imaginationMaybe
Eight of Cupswalking away, moving onNo
Nine of Cupscontentment, satisfactionYes
Ten of Cupsharmony, familyYes
Page of Cupssensitivity, creativityYes
Knight of Cupsromance, invitationMaybe
Queen of Cupscompassion, intuitionMaybe
King of Cupsemotional balance, diplomacyMaybeSuit of Swords (14 cards)
Ace of Swordsclarity, truthYes
Two of Swordsstalemate, balanceMaybe
Three of Swordsheartache, honest griefNo
Four of Swordsrest, recoveryMaybe
Five of Swordsconflict, hollow winNo
Six of Swordstransition, moving onYes
Seven of Swordsstrategy, stealthMaybe
Eight of Swordsfeeling trapped, self-limiting beliefsNo
Nine of Swordsworry, sleepless nightsNo
Ten of Swordsending, releaseNo
Page of Swordscuriosity, new ideasYes
Knight of Swordsdrive, speedMaybe
Queen of Swordsclear perception, honestyYes
King of Swordsauthority, fair judgmentYesSuit of Pentacles (14 cards)
Ace of Pentaclesnew opportunity, seed of prosperityYes
Two of Pentaclesjuggling, balanceMaybe
Three of Pentaclesteamwork, craftsmanshipYes
Four of Pentaclessecurity, savingMaybe
Five of Pentacleshard times, feeling left outNo
Six of Pentaclesgenerosity, fair exchangeYes
Seven of Pentaclespatience, assessmentMaybe
Eight of Pentaclesdiligence, masteryYes
Nine of Pentaclesself-reliance, abundanceYes
Ten of Pentacleslegacy, familyYes
Page of Pentaclesnew goal, studyYes
Knight of Pentaclesreliability, hard workYes
Queen of Pentaclesnurturing, practicalityYes
King of Pentaclesprosperity, securityYesExample reading
Question: Drawing one card to learn the deck
Result: The Empress is card III of the Major Arcana: abundance, nurture and creativity. Notice the details: the wheat field, the Venus symbol on her shield, the flowing water. Each is a clue to the meaning, which is why learning the images is the fastest way to learn the cards.
The Major Arcana: 22 big themes
The Major Arcana runs from 0, The Fool, to XXI, The World. Read in order it tells a story often called the Fool's Journey: setting out, learning, facing loss and change, and arriving at completion. When a Major card appears in a reading, it usually points to a significant chapter rather than a passing mood.
Major cards have names instead of numbers and suits: The Magician, The Lovers, Death, The Star. Death, despite its reputation, means an ending that makes room for something new, not literal death.
The Minor Arcana: four suits
| Suit | Element | Area of life | Example card |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cups | Water | Feelings, relationships, intuition | Two of Cups |
| Pentacles | Earth | Money, work, body, home | Ten of Pentacles |
| Swords | Air | Thoughts, words, conflict, truth | Ace of Swords |
| Wands | Fire | Energy, ambition, creativity | Three of Wands |
Numbers carry meaning across suits too. Aces are beginnings, Fives are friction, Tens are completion. So the Five of Cups is emotional disappointment and the Five of Pentacles is material hardship: same number, different area of life.
The court cards
Each suit has four court cards. They can describe a person in your life, a side of yourself, or an approach the situation calls for.
- Pages: curiosity, learning, messages.
- Knights: action and movement, sometimes too much.
- Queens: mastery turned inward, care and steadiness.
- Kings: mastery turned outward, leadership and responsibility.
How to learn the cards
- Start with the 22 Major Arcana; they are the most recognizable.
- Learn the four suits and their elements.
- Learn the number pattern from Ace to Ten.
- Add the court cards last.
- Draw one card a day and read its meaning: in a few months you will have met most of the deck.
The daily card above builds exactly that habit, with a streak to keep you going.
How TarotDew compares
| TarotDew | Biddy Tarot (Pull a Card) | A physical deck | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cards per draw | 1, 3, 5 or 10 | 1 | Any |
| Major / Minor only filter | Yes | — | By hand |
| Reversed cards | Optional toggle | Reversed keywords in its meanings gallery | If you shuffle for them |
| Sign-up to draw | Never | No sign-up gate on the draw page | — |
| Daily card + streak | Yes, kept on your device | — | No |
| Shareable result image | 9:16 image | — | Photo |
Checked on each site's public pages in October 2026; features change, so check them yourself too.
Frequently asked questions
How many tarot cards are there?
78 in a standard deck: 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana.
What are the four tarot suits?
Cups, Pentacles, Swords and Wands, linked to water, earth, air and fire.
What is the difference between Major and Minor Arcana?
Major Arcana cards describe big life themes and turning points; Minor Arcana cards describe day-to-day situations, feelings and actions.
Which tarot deck does TarotDew use?
The 1909 Rider–Waite–Smith deck illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith, which is in the public domain and is the basis of most modern decks.
Are any tarot cards bad?
No card is purely bad. Difficult cards like The Tower or Ten of Swords describe challenges and endings, which also clear the way for change.
Do I need my own deck to learn tarot?
No. You can learn every card online here for free, and draw daily to practice.