A tarot deck has 78 cards: the 22 Major Arcana describe life’s big turning points, while the 56 Minor Arcana speak of everyday emotions, work, relationships and choices. The Minor Arcana are divided into four suits — Swords, Cups, Wands and Pentacles — each with an Ace, Two to Ten, and four court cards: Page, Knight, Queen and King.
Below are the upright and reversed meanings of the Minor Arcana, illustrated with the versions by Taiwanese artist CASIMIR Lee. He redraws each card with ornate linework and female figures; every card is a hand-signed, numbered limited-edition tarot art print on museum-grade paper. Neverland Gallery currently holds 54 of his Minor Arcana prints — click a card name to see the work and its real size.
The Suit of Swords
The Swords suit belongs to the element of air: thought, words, conflict and decisions.
- Ace of Swords — upright: clarity, breakthrough, truth; reversed: confusion, misjudgement, clouded thinking.
- Two of Swords — upright: a stalemate, difficult choices, truce; reversed: information overload, finally deciding.
- Three of Swords — upright: heartbreak, grief, painful truth; reversed: recovery, releasing pain, forgiveness.
- Four of Swords — upright: rest, recovery, contemplation; reversed: restlessness, burnout, getting back up.
- Five of Swords — upright: conflict, a hollow victory; reversed: reconciliation, letting go of a fight.
- Six of Swords — upright: transition, moving on, calmer waters; reversed: being stuck, unresolved baggage.
- Seven of Swords — upright: strategy, deception, going it alone; reversed: confession, being found out, conscience.
- Eight of Swords — upright: feeling trapped, self-imposed limits; reversed: release, seeing a way out.
- Nine of Swords — upright: anxiety, sleepless nights, worry; reversed: easing fear, reaching out for help.
- Ten of Swords — upright: rock bottom, an ending, painful finality; reversed: recovery, the worst is over.
- Page of Swords — upright: curiosity, new ideas, alertness; reversed: hasty words, all talk, suspicion.
- Knight of Swords — upright: decisiveness, swift action, ambition; reversed: impulsiveness, recklessness.
- Queen of Swords — upright: independence, clear judgement, honesty; reversed: coldness, harshness, over-criticism.
- King of Swords — upright: intellect, authority, fair judgement; reversed: abuse of power, coldness, manipulation.
→ See all: CASIMIR Tarot Minor Arcana: Swords
The Suit of Cups
The Cups suit belongs to the element of water: emotions, relationships and intuition.
- Ace of Cups — upright: new love, emotional fullness, compassion; reversed: blocked feelings, repression, emptiness.
- Two of Cups — upright: mutual attraction, partnership, harmony; reversed: disharmony, misunderstanding, imbalance.
- Three of Cups — upright: friendship, celebration, community; reversed: overindulgence, gossip, isolation.
- Four of Cups — upright: apathy, contemplation, missed chances; reversed: re-engaging, accepting new offers.
- Five of Cups — upright: loss, regret, focusing on what is gone; reversed: acceptance, forgiveness, moving on.
- Six of Cups — upright: nostalgia, innocence, happy memories; reversed: living in the past, refusing to grow.
- Seven of Cups — upright: fantasy, many options, daydreams; reversed: clarity, making a choice.
- Eight of Cups — upright: walking away, seeking deeper meaning; reversed: fear of leaving, aimless drifting.
- Nine of Cups — upright: wishes fulfilled, contentment; reversed: dissatisfaction, overindulgence.
- Ten of Cups — upright: family harmony, happiness, fulfilment; reversed: broken harmony, unmet ideals.
- Page of Cups — upright: a romantic message, creativity, sincerity; reversed: moodiness, immaturity, escapism.
- Knight of Cups — upright: romance, an invitation, following the heart; reversed: unrealistic, moody, fickle.
- Queen of Cups — upright: compassion, tenderness, intuition; reversed: emotional dependence, oversensitivity.
- King of Cups — upright: emotional balance, generosity, calm; reversed: repressed feelings, manipulation, coldness.
→ See all: CASIMIR Tarot Minor Arcana: Cups
The Suit of Wands
The Wands suit belongs to the element of fire: passion, action and creativity.
- Ace of Wands — upright: inspiration, passion, a new venture; reversed: delays, lack of drive, setbacks.
- Two of Wands — upright: planning, decisions, vision; reversed: fear of the unknown, indecision.
- Three of Wands — upright: expansion, foresight, waiting for results; reversed: delays, frustration, limited vision.
- Four of Wands — upright: celebration, stability, home; reversed: instability, transition, disharmony.
- Five of Wands — upright: competition, conflict, differing views; reversed: avoiding conflict, finding agreement.
- Six of Wands — upright: victory, recognition, success; reversed: arrogance, lack of recognition, a fall.
- Seven of Wands — upright: standing your ground, defence, challenge; reversed: overwhelmed, giving up.
- Eight of Wands — upright: swift progress, news, movement; reversed: delays, haste, chaos.
- Nine of Wands — upright: resilience, persistence, a last stand; reversed: exhaustion, defensiveness, giving up.
- Ten of Wands — upright: burden, too much responsibility, hard work; reversed: releasing burdens, delegating.
- Page of Wands — upright: enthusiasm, exploration, good news; reversed: lack of direction, short-lived passion.
- Knight of Wands — upright: energy, adventure, bold action; reversed: impatience, impulsiveness, unfinished plans.
→ See all: CASIMIR Tarot Minor Arcana: Wands
The Suit of Pentacles
The Pentacles (Coins) suit belongs to the element of earth: material life, work, money and the body.
- Ace of Pentacles — upright: a new financial opportunity, solid beginnings; reversed: missed chances, poor planning.
- Two of Pentacles — upright: balance, adaptability, juggling priorities; reversed: imbalance, overload, disorganisation.
- Three of Pentacles — upright: teamwork, craftsmanship, recognition; reversed: poor collaboration, low quality.
- Four of Pentacles — upright: security, saving, control; reversed: greed, possessiveness, letting go.
- Five of Pentacles — upright: hardship, scarcity, feeling left out; reversed: recovery, accepting help.
- Six of Pentacles — upright: generosity, sharing, giving and receiving; reversed: inequality, strings attached.
- Seven of Pentacles — upright: patience, long-term investment, assessment; reversed: impatience, wasted effort.
- Eight of Pentacles — upright: diligence, mastery, skill development; reversed: lack of focus, cutting corners, perfectionism.
- Nine of Pentacles — upright: independence, abundance, self-sufficiency; reversed: overwork, financial setbacks.
- Ten of Pentacles — upright: legacy, lasting wealth, family; reversed: family disputes, financial loss.
- Page of Pentacles — upright: study, new goals, practical beginnings; reversed: procrastination, lack of progress.
- Knight of Pentacles — upright: reliability, hard work, routine; reversed: stagnation, stubbornness, boredom.
- Queen of Pentacles — upright: practical care, abundance, home; reversed: self-neglect, imbalance, worry.
- King of Pentacles — upright: business success, wealth, stability; reversed: materialism, stubbornness, greed.
→ See all: CASIMIR Tarot Minor Arcana: Pentacles
How to read the Minor Arcana
Numbers share a rhythm across suits: Aces are beginnings, Fives often bring conflict or loss, and Tens complete a cycle. Court cards are often read as people or attitudes — the Page curious, the Knight in motion, the Queen inward, the King in command. Compare the same number across suits: the Two of Pentacles is about juggling and balance, while the Two of Swords is a stalemate.
Tarot wall art for your home
Most CASIMIR tarot prints measure about 45 × 76 cm — a good fit for an entryway, study or bedroom wall. Every artwork page has a “View in Your Room” preview that places the print on a photo of your wall at true scale, and you are welcome to see the prints by appointment at Neverland Gallery in Xinyi, Taipei. See also our CASIMIR tarot print collecting guide.
Meanings follow common Rider-Waite readings and are offered as a companion to the artworks.
