The Major Arcana: Meanings of the 22 Trump Cards
The 22 Major Arcana cards describe the big themes of a life: beginnings, choices, crises, endings and fulfilment. Many readers see them as a single story, the Fool's journey, in which The Fool (0) meets each archetype in turn until reaching The World (XXI).
- When several Major Arcana cards appear in a reading, the situation is usually significant or long-term rather than a passing mood.
- Their numbering in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck follows the Golden Dawn, which swapped Strength (VIII) and Justice (XI) compared with older Marseille decks.
- Each card is linked to a Hebrew letter and to a planet, zodiac sign or element, which is why they connect naturally to astrology.
The three stages of the Fool's journey
A common way to study the Major Arcana is in three rows of seven after The Fool. Cards I to VII (The Magician to The Chariot) deal with the outer world: skills, relationships, authority and willpower. Cards VIII to XIV (Strength to Temperance) turn inward: patience, solitude, fate, fairness, surrender, endings and balance. Cards XV to XXI (The Devil to The World) deal with the spiritual: attachment, upheaval, hope, illusion, joy, awakening and completion.
Correspondences table
| No. | Card | Hebrew letter | Astrology | Keywords |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | The Fool | Aleph | Air (modern: Uranus) | fresh start, trust |
| I | The Magician | Beth | Mercury | skill, focus |
| II | The High Priestess | Gimel | The Moon | intuition, quiet knowing |
| III | The Empress | Daleth | Venus | nurturing, abundance |
| IV | The Emperor | Heh | Aries | structure, stability |
| V | The Hierophant | Vav | Taurus | tradition, guidance |
| VI | The Lovers | Zayin | Gemini | connection, alignment |
| VII | The Chariot | Cheth | Cancer | determination, momentum |
| VIII | Strength | Teth | Leo | courage, patience |
| IX | The Hermit | Yod | Virgo | reflection, solitude |
| X | Wheel of Fortune | Kaph | Jupiter | turning point, luck |
| XI | Justice | Lamed | Libra | fairness, truth |
| XII | The Hanged Man | Mem | Water (modern: Neptune) | pause, surrender |
| XIII | Death | Nun | Scorpio | ending, transformation |
| XIV | Temperance | Samekh | Sagittarius | balance, moderation |
| XV | The Devil | Ayin | Capricorn | attachment, temptation |
| XVI | The Tower | Peh | Mars | sudden change, revelation |
| XVII | The Star | Tzaddi | Aquarius | hope, healing |
| XVIII | The Moon | Qoph | Pisces | uncertainty, illusion |
| XIX | The Sun | Resh | The Sun | joy, success |
| XX | Judgement | Shin | Fire (modern: Pluto) | awakening, reflection |
| XXI | The World | Tav | Saturn | completion, fulfillment |
Back to all 78 tarot card meanings, or practise with a free tarot reading.
Frequently asked questions
How many Major Arcana cards are there?
There are 22 Major Arcana cards, numbered 0 (The Fool) to XXI (The World).
Are Major Arcana cards more important?
They carry more weight in a reading because they describe major themes and turning points, but the Minor Arcana add essential detail about everyday circumstances.