How Many Cards Are In A Tarot Deck?

When you’re just starting out with tarot, you will most probably have a lot of questions regarding this awesome spiritual tool.

When I just started out with tarot I personally had no clue how many cards a tarot deck consisted of, which is why I decided to write this article and give you some basic information on how many cards are in a deck and what all of these cards are!

How many cards are in a tarot deck? In total there are 78 cards in a traditional tarot deck. These 78 cards are divided in what is called the ‘Major Arcana’ and the ‘Minor Arcana’, the Major Arcana has 22 cards and the Minor Arcana has 56. 

The Major Arcana cards can indicate and reveal the larger and more meaningful type of life events.

The Minor Arcana can be seen as more subtle hints towards changes that are bound to happen in your life, and can be of great supportive function and connection with regards to the Major Arcana cards. 

What Are The 78 Cards In A Tarot Deck

Now that you know a deck of tarot cards consists out of a total of 78 cards, we’re gonna dive a bit deeper and look at what cards are exactly in a traditional tarot deck.

In the infographic below, I’ll provide you with a compact overview of all of the 78 cards divided between the Major and Minor Arcana!

Major Arcana – Cards & Keywords

There are a total of 22 Major Arcana cards in a tarot deck, which are numbered from number 0 to 21 where the number 0 stands for the ‘Fool Card’.

The Major Arcana cards represent the potentially most significant changes and lessons we can expect with regard to important life events.

The cards of the Major Arcana can help you gain insight on what these events might be and how you can actively participate on handling these events and possible changes with great strength and discover any possibilities for development.

Below I will mention all individual Major Arcana cards and the main keywords each card represents!

#0 – The Fool

Keywords: Beginnings

#1 – The Magician

Keywords: Power, Manifestation, Action

#2 – The High Priestess

Keywords: Intuition, Mystery, Awareness

#3 – The Empress

Keywords: Abundance, Beauty

#4 – The Emperor

Keywords: Structure, Authority

#5 – The Hierophant

Keywords: Traditional, Education

#6 – The Lovers

Keywords: Love, Unity, Relationships

#7 – The Chariot

Keywords: Control, Willpower, Perseverance, Victory

#8 – Strength

Keywords: Strength, Courage, Patience

#9 – The Hermit

Keywords: Introspection

#10 – Wheel of Fortune

Keywords: Abundance, Destiny

#11 – Justice

Keywords: Truth, Justice, Decisions

#12 – The Hanged Man

Keywords: Sacrifice

#13 – Death

Keywords: Endings, Transitions, 

#14 – Temperance

Keywords: Balance, Purpose

#15 – The Devil

Keywords: Addiction, Materialism

#16 – The Tower

Keywords: Disaster, Awakenings

#17 – The Star

Keywords: Hope, Innovation, Creativity

#18 – The Moon

Keywords: Illusion

#19 – The Sun

Keywords: Vitality, Life

#20 – Judgement

Keywords: Rebirth, Forgiveness

#21 – The World

Keywords: Travel, Accomplishment

When you’re just starting out with tarot, it can be quite difficult to memorize all of the different meanings and interpretations of the cards. Thats why I also wrote this other article on my favourite Tarot Decks which display the specific keywords and meanings on the cards themselves. I have found these to be extremely helpful for me personally to become more in touch with the cards and feel more confident in my tarot reading skills!

Minor Arcana – Cards & Keywords

The Minor Arcana consists out of a total of 56 cards which are divided into four ‘suits’; Wands, Swords, Cups and Pentacles. Each suit stands for a different life aspect. 

The Minor Arcana are generally known to be of lesser significance than the cards of the Major Arcana, however, they can certainly play a very important role when it comes to offering deeper insights and information on a certain subject or question.  

In the Minor Arcana, each suit has cards with similar numbers where the message they want to get across might seem quite similar to the numbers within the others suits.

However, the subtlety lies within the type of suit they belong as these each come from a different angle (such as the angle of Emotions, Creativity or Behaviour).

Swords – Behaviour And Activity

Ace of Swords

Keywords: Power, Victory, Truth, Justice

Two of Swords

Keywords: Choice, Avoidance

Three of Swords

Keywords: Heartbreak, Grief, Loneliness

Four of Swords

Keywords: Rest, Preparation

Five of Swords

Keywords: Conflict, Defeat

Six of Swords

Keywords: Transition, Recovery

Seven of Swords

Keywords: Betrayal, Running

Eight of Swords

Keywords: Isolation, Confusion

Nine of Swords

Keywords: Despair, Worry, Guilt

Ten of Swords

Keywords: Defeat, Victim

Page of Swords

Keywords: Energy, Curiosity 

Knight of Swords

Keywords: Outspoken

Queen of Swords

Keywords: Influential, Inspiring

King of Swords

Keywords: Intelligent, Clear-Minded

Wands – Creativity and Imagination

Ace of Wands

Keywords: Inspiration, Creation, Motivation, Confidence

Two of Wands

Keywords: Progress, Discovery, Original, Bold

Three of Wands

Keywords: Preparation, Leader, Exploring

Four of Wands

Keywords: Harmony, Freedom, Excitement

Five of Wands

Keywords: Disagreement, Competition

Six of Wands

Keywords: Self-development, Self-confidence, Growth, Pride

Seven of Wands

Keywords: Perseverance, Aggression

Eight of Wands

Keywords: Change, Travel, Action

Nine of Wands

Keywords: Persistance

Ten of Wands

Keywords: Responsible, Struggle

Page of Wands

Keywords: Enthusiasm, Energy

Knight of Wands

Keywords: Passion, Adventure

Queen of Wands

Keywords: Vibrant, Life

King of Wands

Keywords: Independent, Business

Cups – Emotions and Feelings

Ace of Cups

Keywords: Intimacy, Love

Two of Cups

Keywords: Attraction, Connection

Three of Cups

Keywords: Friendship, Community

Four of Cups

Keywords: Contemplation

Five of Cups

Keywords: Regrets, Loss

Six of Cups

Keywords: Innocence, Helping

Seven of Cups

Keywords: Fantasy, Imagination 

Eight of Cups

Keywords: Disappointment, Moving On

Nine of Cups

Keywords: Satisfaction, Gratitude

Ten of Cups

Keywords: Happiness, Joy, Peace

Page of Cups

Keywords: Creativity, Manifestation

Knight of Cups

Keywords: Romance, Love

Queen of Cups

Keywords: Intuition, Motivation

King of Cups

Keywords: Balanced, Calm

Pentacles – Material Possessions

Ace of Pentacles

Keywords: Manifestation, Money, Trust

Two of Pentacles

Keywords: Balance, Fun, Flexible

Three of Pentacles

Keywords: Cooperating, Planning

Four of Pentacles

Keywords: Safety, Control

Five of Pentacles

Keywords: Insecure, Rejection

Six of Pentacles

Keywords: Generous, Abundance, Knowledge

Seven of Pentacles

Keywords: Visions, Rewards

Eight of Pentacles

Keywords: Learning, Knowledge

Nine of Pentacles

Keywords: Gratitude, Discipline

Ten of Pentacles

Keywords: Wealth, Permanence 

Page of Pentacles

Keywords: Manifestation, New Beginnings

Knight of Pentacles

Keywords: Efficiency

Queen of Pentacles

Keywords: Grounded

King of Pentacles

Keywords: Discipline, Perseverance, Planning 

Final Thoughts

All of the 78 cards in a tarot deck each have their own specific meaning and interpretation.

A card within the Major Arcana, which consists out of 22 cards, will have more significant influence on life in general. However, the Minor Arcana cards (56 in total) can offer tremendously helpful insights on specific smaller events as well. 

Make sure to study each of the cards you pull during a tarot reading with great concentration as you will surely find helpful hints and messages to help you move towards your higher purpose!

Tarot is a great self-development tool that can help you understand yourself better and create a clear view from different angles you might personally haven’t thought of that way before. 

If you’d like to read a bit more about the best way to learn the basics of tarot quickly, I have created this other article for you which explains this in great detail and might be of great help!