# The Minor Arcana: The Four Tarot Suits Explained > The minor arcana are tarot's 56 everyday cards: four suits (Wands, Cups, Swords and Pentacles), each with Ace to Ten and four court cards. Learn each… URL: https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/guides/tarot-minor-arcana-suits Updated: 2026-10-30 The minor arcana are tarot's 56 everyday cards: four suits (Wands, Cups, Swords and Pentacles), each with Ace to Ten and four court cards. Learn each suit's element and theme, then what each number means, and you can work out a meaning for any minor card. This guide sets out the suits, the numbers, the court cards and a quick key to all 56. ## The four suits ### Wands Element: fire. Themes: energy, ambition, creativity, work you feel passionate about. The matching playing-card suit is clubs. ### Cups Element: water. Themes: feelings, relationships, intuition, dreams. The matching playing-card suit is hearts. ### Swords Element: air. Themes: thought, conflict, truth, decisions and communication. The matching playing-card suit is spades. ### Pentacles Element: earth. Themes: money, home, body, work and the material world. The matching playing-card suit is diamonds. ## What the numbers mean ### Ace the seed or gift of the suit ### Two balance, choice or partnership ### Three growth and first results ### Four stability, sometimes standing still ### Five conflict, loss or challenge ### Six recovery, harmony and giving ### Seven tests, assessment and persistence ### Eight movement and skill, or feeling stuck ### Nine near completion and intensity ### Ten completion: the full weight of the suit ## The court cards ### Page the student or messenger: curiosity and news ### Knight action and pursuit, sometimes to excess ### Queen inner mastery and emotional intelligence ### King outer mastery, authority and responsibility ## Quick key: the suit of Wands ### Ace of Wands The seed or gift of the suit, in the realm of energy and ambition. ### Two of Wands Balance, choice or partnership, in the realm of energy and ambition. ### Three of Wands Growth and first results, in the realm of energy and ambition. ### Four of Wands Stability, sometimes standing still, in the realm of energy and ambition. ### Five of Wands Conflict, loss or challenge, in the realm of energy and ambition. ### Six of Wands Recovery, harmony and giving, in the realm of energy and ambition. ### Seven of Wands Tests, assessment and persistence, in the realm of energy and ambition. ### Eight of Wands Movement and skill, or feeling stuck, in the realm of energy and ambition. ### Nine of Wands Near completion and intensity, in the realm of energy and ambition. ### Ten of Wands Completion: the full weight of the suit, in the realm of energy and ambition. ### Page of Wands The student or messenger: curiosity and news, in the realm of energy and ambition. ### Knight of Wands Action and pursuit, sometimes to excess, in the realm of energy and ambition. ### Queen of Wands Inner mastery and emotional intelligence, in the realm of energy and ambition. ### King of Wands Outer mastery, authority and responsibility, in the realm of energy and ambition. ## Quick key: the suit of Cups ### Ace of Cups The seed or gift of the suit, in the realm of feelings and relationships. ### Two of Cups Balance, choice or partnership, in the realm of feelings and relationships. ### Three of Cups Growth and first results, in the realm of feelings and relationships. ### Four of Cups Stability, sometimes standing still, in the realm of feelings and relationships. ### Five of Cups Conflict, loss or challenge, in the realm of feelings and relationships. ### Six of Cups Recovery, harmony and giving, in the realm of feelings and relationships. ### Seven of Cups Tests, assessment and persistence, in the realm of feelings and relationships. ### Eight of Cups Movement and skill, or feeling stuck, in the realm of feelings and relationships. ### Nine of Cups Near completion and intensity, in the realm of feelings and relationships. ### Ten of Cups Completion: the full weight of the suit, in the realm of feelings and relationships. ### Page of Cups The student or messenger: curiosity and news, in the realm of feelings and relationships. ### Knight of Cups Action and pursuit, sometimes to excess, in the realm of feelings and relationships. ### Queen of Cups Inner mastery and emotional intelligence, in the realm of feelings and relationships. ### King of Cups Outer mastery, authority and responsibility, in the realm of feelings and relationships. ## Quick key: the suit of Swords ### Ace of Swords The seed or gift of the suit, in the realm of thought and conflict. ### Two of Swords Balance, choice or partnership, in the realm of thought and conflict. ### Three of Swords Growth and first results, in the realm of thought and conflict. ### Four of Swords Stability, sometimes standing still, in the realm of thought and conflict. ### Five of Swords Conflict, loss or challenge, in the realm of thought and conflict. ### Six of Swords Recovery, harmony and giving, in the realm of thought and conflict. ### Seven of Swords Tests, assessment and persistence, in the realm of thought and conflict. ### Eight of Swords Movement and skill, or feeling stuck, in the realm of thought and conflict. ### Nine of Swords Near completion and intensity, in the realm of thought and conflict. ### Ten of Swords Completion: the full weight of the suit, in the realm of thought and conflict. ### Page of Swords The student or messenger: curiosity and news, in the realm of thought and conflict. ### Knight of Swords Action and pursuit, sometimes to excess, in the realm of thought and conflict. ### Queen of Swords Inner mastery and emotional intelligence, in the realm of thought and conflict. ### King of Swords Outer mastery, authority and responsibility, in the realm of thought and conflict. ## Quick key: the suit of Pentacles ### Ace of Pentacles The seed or gift of the suit, in the realm of money and home. ### Two of Pentacles Balance, choice or partnership, in the realm of money and home. ### Three of Pentacles Growth and first results, in the realm of money and home. ### Four of Pentacles Stability, sometimes standing still, in the realm of money and home. ### Five of Pentacles Conflict, loss or challenge, in the realm of money and home. ### Six of Pentacles Recovery, harmony and giving, in the realm of money and home. ### Seven of Pentacles Tests, assessment and persistence, in the realm of money and home. ### Eight of Pentacles Movement and skill, or feeling stuck, in the realm of money and home. ### Nine of Pentacles Near completion and intensity, in the realm of money and home. ### Ten of Pentacles Completion: the full weight of the suit, in the realm of money and home. ### Page of Pentacles The student or messenger: curiosity and news, in the realm of money and home. ### Knight of Pentacles Action and pursuit, sometimes to excess, in the realm of money and home. ### Queen of Pentacles Inner mastery and emotional intelligence, in the realm of money and home. ### King of Pentacles Outer mastery, authority and responsibility, in the realm of money and home. ## Putting it together Combine suit and number. The Five of Cups is loss in the realm of feeling: disappointment. The Eight of Pentacles is skill in the material world: steady work. The Queen of Swords is inner mastery of thought: clear judgement. Practise by drawing one minor card a day and building its meaning from its parts before you check a guidebook. UK delivery is £3.95, free on orders over £40, and usually takes 2–5 working days. ## Words worth knowing - **Major arcana**: the 22 trump cards, from the Fool to the World. - **Minor arcana**: the 56 suit cards: Wands, Cups, Swords and Pentacles. - **Court cards**: the Page, Knight, Queen and King of each suit. - **Spread**: a layout of cards with a meaning for each position. - **Reversal**: a card that comes out upside down, read by some with a different meaning. - **Significator**: a card chosen to represent the person asking. - **Querent**: the person asking the question. ## Questions **How many minor arcana cards are there?** 56: four suits of 14. **Which suit is which element?** In the most common tradition, Wands are fire, Cups water, Swords air and Pentacles earth. Some decks swap Wands and Swords. **Are court cards always people?** Not always. They can stand for people, roles you take on or ways of acting. **Do I have to learn all 78 meanings by heart?** No. Learning the suits and numbers gives you a working meaning for every minor card. **Do I need to be psychic to read the four suits?** No. Most readers use tarot as a tool for reflection: the pictures prompt you to think about a situation from new angles. **How long does it take to learn the minor arcana?** You can read simple spreads within a week using a guidebook. Knowing all 78 cards by heart usually takes a few months of regular practice. **Should I cleanse my deck before working with the suits?** Many readers like to, by shuffling it thoroughly, leaving it in moonlight or passing it through incense smoke. It is a tradition, not a requirement. **Does the Minor Arcana guide make any health claims?** No. We describe spiritual and traditional uses as tradition and belief, never as health, medical or financial advice. For any health concern, speak to a qualified professional. ## Related - [How to read tarot](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/guides/how-to-read-tarot) - [Tarot major arcana meanings](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/guides/tarot-major-arcana-meanings) - [Tarot cards](https://www.starseeduk.co.uk/collections/tarot-cards) --- Starseed UK describes spiritual uses as tradition and belief, never as health or medical claims. UK delivery £3.95, free over £40.