The Four Suits of the Tarot: Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles

The Four Suits in Tarot: Wands, Cups, Swords & Pentacles

by Rachael Jean - Indie tarot deck artist & printables designer of MoonHaus Studio, 2026

 

If you’ve ever pulled a tarot card and thought… okay, cool but what tf does this suit mean, you’re seriously in the right place.

Because the four tarot suits — Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles — are pretty much the “everyday life” part of tarot. They show up in most readings, they add detail, and once you understand them, your tarot spreads and tarot readings instantly start making so much more sense. 

And when the cards start making more sense, their entire energy changes. Your connection to them expands and they become something that belongs to both your inner world and outer world.

Okay, so think of the Major Arcana as the big plot points of your story.

The Minor Arcana suits are the real-life scenes that fill in the gaps — the feelings, the conversations, the money stuff, the choices, the mess, the momentum.

And yes… they matter just as much. Because what’s life without the quiet moments? 

✨ If you want a simple reference you can keep next to your deck, I’ve got a 4-page Minor Arcana cheat sheet right here.

(Perfect for beginners, journaling, and quick readings.)

What Are Tarot Suits? A Very Quick Beginner Explanation

🖨️ Here’s a tarot journal page for your daily reading if you’re wanting to focus on the suits ➡️ get the free PDF download here

In tarot, the Minor Arcana is made up of 56 cards, divided into four suits:

• Wands = fire (action, passion, creativity)
• Cups = water (emotions, relationships, intuition)
• Swords = air (thoughts, truth, communication)
• Pentacles = earth (money, work, stability, the physical world)

Each suit also includes Ace–10 plus Court Cards (Page, Knight, Queen, King), which adds even more layers to your reading.

If you’re learning tarot, understanding the suits is one of the quickest ways to stop feeling like you’re guessing.

 

🪄 Suit of Wands Tarot Card Meaning (Fire) 🪄

Keywords: action • motivation • creativity • desire • courage • movement

Let’s start with Wands, aka the suit that’s like:

“Okay babe, enough thinking. What are we doing?”

Wands are fire energy — they represent your drive, your spark, your creative push, and the part of you that wants to go after the thing.

When Wands cards show up in a tarot reading, they often point to:

• taking initiative
• following inspiration
• building momentum
• chasing a goal
• starting something new
• saying yes before you feel ready

Wands don’t always mean it’s easy — they just mean you’ve got fuel in the tank, and something in you wants to move.

🪄 Wands remind you: your passion is a compass. Follow it.

When Wands show up, ask:

• Where am I feeling inspired right now?
• What do I want badly enough to act on?
• What’s the next small step (not the whole plan)?

 

☕️ Suit of Cups Tarot Card Meaning (Water) ☕️

Keywords: emotions • relationships • intuition • sensitivity • healing • connection

Next up: Cups — the watery, emotional, heart-led suit.

Cups are all about your inner world: your feelings, your relationships, your emotional patterns, and that gut instinct you always know is right (even when you ignore it).

As a super sensitive Cancerian writing this… yes, Cups are my people. ☕️🫶🏻

When Cups cards show up, they usually bring themes like:

• love and connection
• emotional needs
• vulnerability
• healing
• empathy
• intuition and psychic nudges
• mood shifts (because life)

Cups aren’t here to make you “calm down”.

They’re here to help you feel what’s real.

☕️ Cups remind you: your emotions aren’t a weakness — they’re information.

When Cups show up, ask:

• What am I actually feeling underneath the surface?
• Where am I craving connection or comfort?
• What does my intuition keep whispering?

 

🗡️ Suit of Swords Tarot Card Meaning (Air) 🗡️

Keywords: thoughts • truth • communication • boundaries • clarity • conflict

Alright, now we’re in Swords territory — the suit that does not tolerate delusion. Real life just got real AF babe.

Swords are air energy: your mind, your thoughts, your logic, your words, your boundaries.

They’re the suit that says:

“Let’s be honest. What’s really going on?”

When Swords cards show up in a tarot reading, they can mean:

• mental overload
• stress or anxiety
• truth coming to light
• communication issues (spoken OR unspoken)
• hard decisions
• conflict, tension, or clarity through confrontation
• learning something important (even if it stings)

Swords can feel intense because they cut through the fluff.

But they’re also the suit that helps you get free.

🗡️Swords remind you: clarity is kindness, even when it’s sharp.

When Swords show up, ask:

• What truth am I avoiding?
• What story am I telling myself right now?
• What needs to be said, decided, or cleared?

 

⭐️Suit of Pentacles Tarot Card Meaning (Earth)⭐️

Keywords: money • work • stability • health • routine • results • long-term growth

Last but not least: Pentacles — the earthy suit of real life.

Pentacles are about your physical world: your money, career, home, body, habits, resources, stability, and the slow-building stuff that creates actual safety.

When Pentacles cards show up, they often point to:

• finances and income
• career and work life
• long-term plans
• practical progress
• routines and habits
• health and physical wellbeing
• consistency over quick fixes

Pentacles are the suit that says:

“Okay… but what are you doing in real life to support this?”

Because a dream without steps is just a daydream. (Sorry but it’s true.)

⭐️Pentacles remind you: slow growth is still growth.

When Pentacles show up, ask:

• What needs my attention in the real world?
• Where can I create more stability?
• What’s the next practical step?

 

How to Use Tarot Suits in a Reading (The Easy Way)

If you’re mid-reading and don’t have time to overthink it, here’s the shortcut:

• Wands = action + desire
• Cups = feelings + relationships
• Swords = thoughts + truth
• Pentacles = money + life stuff

Then combine it with the card number + imagery + what’s happening in your actual life.

That’s it. That’s the magic.

 

Final Thoughts: The Tarot Suits Make Your Readings Feel Real

The four tarot suits aren’t “extra info” — they’re the part that makes tarot feel personal, usable, and alive.

Each suit brings a different lens:

• Wands show you where you’re being called forward
• Cups show you what your heart is holding
• Swords show you what your mind is doing
• Pentacles show you what your life is building

And the more you notice them, the more your readings stop being random… and start feeling like a conversation you actually understand.

If you want a quick reference for all four suits (that you can print or use digitally), my Minor Arcana cheat sheet is made for exactly this. 🖤🌙

 

FAQ: Tarot Suits (Beginner Questions)

Here’s some frequently asked questions about the suits of tarot, pentacles, cups, wands, swords, the minor arcana, the major arcana, and reading tarot cards:

▪️ What are the four suits in tarot?

The four tarot suits are Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles. They make up the Minor Arcana, which focuses on everyday life themes.

 

🖨️ Here’s a tarot journal page for your daily reading if you’re wanting to focus on the suits ➡️ get the free PDF download here

 

▪️ What do tarot suits represent?

Tarot suits represent different areas of life:

🪄 Wands = action/creativity

☕️ Cups = emotions/relationships

🗡️ Swords = thoughts/communication

⭐️ Pentacles = money/work/stability.

▪️What is the difference between Major Arcana and Minor Arcana?

The Major Arcana shows big life themes and turning points. The Minor Arcana shows the day-to-day details, patterns, and situations that shape your life.

 

▪️Which tarot suit is about love and all the feels?

Cups are most connected to love, emotions, relationships, and intimacy.

 

▪️ Which tarot suit is about money?

Pentacles are most connected to money, work, career, resources, and physical stability.

 

▪️ Are tarot suits linked to the elements?

Yes. Very much so. It can also help you to remember the traits and characteristics of each suit.

Wands = fire, Cups = water, Swords = air, Pentacles = earth.

▪️ How do I learn tarot suits faster?

Start by memorising the suit keywords, then practise doing one-card pulls and asking:

“What part of life is this pointing to — action, feelings, thoughts, or the physical world?”

Honestly thought, it’s not about learning faster. It’s about learning smarter. 

At the end of the day though, learning with joy and contentment is what the aim is. Learning tarot doesn’t transport you back to high school - you are not studying for an exam. You can take your time, make mistakes, pivot your interests, find more beliefs, even find new beliefs. 

Life is hard enough, don’t take on an interest that gives you stress.
Relax your shoulders, unclench your jaw, and wriggle your toes. For the love of Gaia, relax and enjoy it, okay? 😊

 

The tarot suits aren’t just “extra info” — they’re the part that makes a reading feel real. Once you know what each suit is pointing to (action, emotion, truth, or the physical world), your pulls get clearer fast.

If you want to practice this today, pull one card and ask: What area of my life is this suit speaking to? Then write one sentence about how it’s showing up for you right now.

And if you want a quick reference you can keep beside your deck, my Minor Arcana cheat sheet is made for exactly this. 🖤🌙

Which suit shows up for you the most lately? Use this as a journal prompt and you’ll have writing fodder for days! 

Always in your corner,
Rachael | MoonHaus Studio 

🖨️ Here’s a tarot journal page for your daily reading if you’re wanting to focus on the suits ➡️ get the free PDF download here

 

Rachael Jean is the spiritual af artist, fur mum, and tarot deck creator behind MoonHaus Studio. From her beachside home in Victoria, Australia, this top 0.2% Etsy seller with over 41,000 sales, hand-draws indie tarot & oracle decks and designs soul-led journals and grounded printables for intuitive, slow-living women.