The court cards in tarot are well considered by many as the most intriguing among the cards in the deck. They are also the most confusing and complex cards to interpret. Why? It is because of the many different ways you can read and interpret them.
Court card meanings in tarot can either reflect the seeker’s personality or the people who influence the seeker. Most often, court cards represent a person. That person can be you or someone else. By understanding the attributes of each card, you can point out whether it means you or somebody else.
Much can be read and interpreted into examining and understanding the tarot court. These cards primarily reflect characteristics and personality traits. Tarot court cards provide clues about how a person acts, feels, thinks, and what truly motivates them.
Court cards in a tarot deck are with pictures of Pages, Knights, Queens, and Kings. Each suite in a deck has a set of court cards. Throughout history, tarot readers and experts have given a number of interpretations to the meanings of tarot court cards. But, it’s universally agreed that they represent people.
Now that you understand what are court cards, it is only natural for you to also know how many court cards in a deck. To answer the latter, there are 16 court cards in a tarot deck composed of 4 suites with 4 ranks each.
Court Cards in Tarot
Now let us dive into a framework for interpreting and understanding the tarot court cards. This framework is based off a simple premise. Each court card has a RANK – in most tarot decks the ranks are King, Queen, Knight and Page. And a SUIT – Pentacles, Swords, Cups and Wands.
Each of the rank has its own set of characteristics, so does each suit. To get a basic grasp of all 16 court cards, you need to understand each rank and each suit. Then, to interpret any specific court card, you use your intuition to combine your understanding of these factors.
Below is the list of tarot court cards and its meanings.
Pentacles
Page of Pentacles
A youthful and child-like figure, looking intently at the pentacle that hovers over its raised hands. You or this person is adventurous, curious, and interested in the world. You look at your surroundings, your body and pose questions.
This court card is about taking fulfillment in your studies. An attraction with how things function and what they mean. You may decide to travel far and wide to gather more experience and information, to learn more.
There is a sense of wonder, fascination, and optimism here, as with all the pages. Open-minded, open-hearted, you are willing to discover something good. Your mind is not well made up yet. It’s a very light, very non-attached position, filled with potential but not set on any specific destination. There’s a lot of freedom here, too.
The Page of Pentacles represents joy in the journey itself. You may have a clear idea where you’re going right now or none at all – either is fine. Focus on enjoying the present moment, savoring each stage in the journey.
As the pentacles can sometimes represent work, then this card encourages taking pleasure in your hard work. If you are job-seeking right now, try to move towards things you know you will find satisfying if you have the choice. If you’re about to start a project of any kind, make sure it’s something that will pique your curiosity and feel fulfilling to do.
Knight of Pentacles
Knight of Pentacles is a person who knows that there is a light at the end of every tunnel. This card means hard work and perseverance.
The energy that this court card exudes is slow and steady. It is about facing setbacks and challenges gracefully. This is a reliable person and a friend that may not be fun at parties but is someone whom you can lean on anytime.
They throw themselves into their studies with absolute commitment, dedication, and determination. The Knight of Pentacles is a bit wiser than the other knights of the tarot court cards. However, they are still a teenager in the suit.
Being a ‘teenager’ knight, they do not have everything figured out. As such, this court card can also represent directing focus in the wrong direction. So, if that speaks to you, pause for a moment and evaluate your steps and goals.
This kind of energy is what we need to attract and manifest when we’re in something long-term. This card teaches you that life is not always easy, flashy, or fun. Sometimes it’s about getting our heads down and working through things, one step at a time.
King of Pentacles
Here is a person who has achieved great things. Someone wealthy, whether that means materially rich or simply very comfortable in their own life. This person has all that they need.
Implicit in this vision of success is a lot of hard work. The King of Pentacles is not someone who has simply happened upon great fortune but who has worked for many years. They have been through the many trials of the suit of pentacles, the ups and the downs. They have been the Page and the Knight of Pentacles, an eager explorer and a dedicated worker.
Kings tend to derive power from structures and order. The King of Pentacles values logic, has an eye for things of quality and opts for quality over quantity. In many ways, this card is a lot like the Emperor’s.
It also represents a great sense of achievement and a time to feel satisfied. Beyond this, like all kings, this person may be a leader. Someone who holds a degree of status in society, someone who all can see has ‘made it, and who – in the best expression of this card – helps others to do the same.
Queen of Pentacles
The element of earth is what this queen rules. Deeply comfortable in her environment and her home. The Queen of Pentacles is a person who is nurturing and exudes compassion and care. She is the embodiment of Empress.
Like the Empress, this Queen gives value to the senses of the body. They are the type of people that enjoys food, pleasing scents, beauty, and music. They have a sense of abundance, resourcefulness, and practicality. An epitome of self-care.
The Queen of Pentacles is also generous. Appreciative of the riches and wealth that surrounds her. She is willing to share what she has and nurture others — altruistic through and through.
All these characteristics are well-grounded in gratitude. As the ‘highest’ card in the pentacles suit, the Queen has worked with the element of earth, integrating it into her being.
Swords
Page of Swords
An explorer of the mind, ideas, and plans. This is the kind of person who will climb a hill or terrain for the sake of seeing the view. This card wants to know where they are and why they do what they do.
The Page of Swords may be a student, an academic learner, or a scholar. Remember that swords are the suit of curiosity and communication. This is also the suit of reasoning and logic; it likes to figure out what is going on.
Always hungry for fresh and new perspectives, the Page talks to others, asking questions, gathering a range of views. They want to hear it all.
In a slumped sense, this card can indicate paying too much attention to gossip and hearsay. But in its best expression, the Page is someone who uses those diverse opinions as a springboard for forming their own. They listen, work to understand, but ultimately, they are learning to create their own worldview and, hopefully, express it.
Sword held up, the Page is dealing with the air element – it is bold, sharp, and heavy. This means a quest for truth, justice, and the journey is just beginning.
Knight of Swords
The Knight of Swords has all the answers. The thing is, they may be right, or they may be wrong. It’s a confident, bold, and dynamic card.
It looks like they are thinking with their mind, but they are really listening to ego: This is how I need the truth to be. This is me and what I’m fighting for. There’s a heck of a lot of ‘I’ in those ‘truths.’
As a teenager, there’s that theme of immaturity again. Wielding that sword of truth with a kinda clumsy determination, the Knight hasn’t taken the time to fact-check or think about consequences. They’ve got an opinion, and it’s time for everyone to hear it.
The impulse is egotistic, but there’s also a genuine belief that they are right and that their campaign is fair and just. The Knight of Swords can be self-righteous. There’s arrogance too, of course – there is arrogance in every Knight.
Still – sometimes this impulsive ‘tell it like it is’ energy is what a situation needs. Someone to shake things up a little, make a controversial statement, or, speak a critical and genuine truth. The Knight of Swords isn’t known for being careful, but that doesn’t mean they are wrong.
The Knight of Swords may also be a person with a chip on their shoulder. Maybe you’ve been nursing a grudge or running over and over some past hurt in your mind. This person can be bitter, resentful, or obsessive. There is certainly a theme of being hung up on past events, choosing to dwell in old hurt rather than move forward.
King of Swords
Here, we meet a person who is steadfast and confident in their beliefs. A fair person, to the point that there is no space for grey areas between the black and the white.
Like all the kings, this person has worked long and hard to be in this position. As a leader, this is someone who brings excellent planning skills to the table. They are capable of seeing a goal and plotting out the route towards it. There may be no problem that this person can think their way around.
They are also perceptive and able to cut to the heart of a situation. This king makes an excellent and witty social commentator, never missing the opportunity to point out what’s really going on.
In terms of advice, the King of Swords encourages you to be very, very rational. To put aside your feelings and ask yourself what is fair, what is right. Let that be your guide.
Queen of Swords
The Queen of Swords is a robust and assertive individual who has been through a lot but came out victorious. Many of us can relate to this court card. We see her as an empowered person of strength and courage.
This is a type of person who is committed to ‘doing the work.’ Someone who knows that to live authentically, they must do the inner work. The Queen of Swords is fully and consciously accountable to herself and the world, yet constantly aware that there is more to unravel and learn.
She is rational and uses her sword to cut to the heart of the matter in any situation but with more compassion. The Queen of Swords knows that there are grey areas too – and that these can be painful places to dwell since she has been there.
She explains the sadness in this world and where it comes from, the systems of injustice and fear that cause harm. She is a visionary too, and when she shares her vision for a fairer world, all can understand.
Cups
Page of Cups
The Page of Cups has their heart on their sleeves. They are ready and willing to fall in love, deep and hard. This Page is overflowing with the willingness to share and open up to all things soul and heart-centered.
It is a happy card that represents a person who acts as they have never been hurt. The Page of Cups is a complete explorer of the soul. They may be clueless about what is meant by ‘follow your bliss, but they know that is what they want to do.
This court card can mean that you should experiment with different spiritual or religious practices. It is an excellent time to try something new, perhaps something you have wanted to do or something that has always called to you.
Go into this journey with a lightness of heart and an expectation that it will be fun. Do not take things too seriously at this moment.
Knight of Cups
Unlike the Page, the Knight of Cups takes their life and journey seriously. In many ways, this card also represents falling deep in love. It can be a blissful experience but can also mean becoming emotionally stuck.
Obsessive love is one accurate expression of the Knight of Cups. This individual may have become lost in their journey towards a longing for companionship.
Last but not least, this card can simply point to a person falling in love or being romantic. There is an amusing element to the Knight of Cups, too – they may just be encouraging you to buy a bouquet of roses for someone you love.
King of Cups
Kings achieve their status and power through structure and experience. The King of Cups is someone who has experienced and seen a lot in their life. They have ‘done the work’ and now feel entitled and in control.
They have a tendency to repress and hide their feelings. The King of Cups can pose as someone who dislikes being vulnerable and emotional. They are well closed off and tend to give a closed-minded impression.
This King may also represent a person who has built up rigid boundaries and walls around their heart. It can be difficult and hard to know what they are feeling because of their strict nature.
However, a positive embodiment of this King would be an individual who aids other people to achieve spiritual balance. Along with knowledge and research, they can analyze and articulate what is going on for troubled people.
Queen of Cups
Like the King of Cups, the Queen has had plenty of experience in matters of the heart. They have experimented, searched, and moved through breakups and relationships.
This is a very intuitive individual. Someone sensitive to everything around her. Full of empathy, they can ‘tune in’ to anyone they meet and understand them on a profoundly deep level. This ability can sometimes make some people feel uncomfy around the Queen of Cups.
This person can genuinely see anyone for who they are rather than what they show. Ultimately though, these external, visible qualities come from a profound inner place. The Queen of Cups knows themselves.
Similar to the Queen of Pentacles, the Cups knows how we are all connected to the Universe. This card encourages you to draw on your inner power. The Queen is always ready to delve deeper into her practice and explore further or try new things.
Wands
Page of Wands
True to their character, the Page of Wands is a person of curiosity. This one has the energy of fire and is eager to go on any adventure – they are energetic and sociable.
This person’s character is all about embarking on a social mission. They want to be a catalyst of change and movement. As wands are the suit of principles and ideals, this Page sure takes action by putting their principles into practice.
Because ‘action’ is at the core of this Page. Wands are all about doing. Manifesting. Making magic. The Page of Wands is inspired by ideas but is focused on what they might become.
Knight of Wands
This knight is all ego. Bold and brash, they storm into the center of all things. The Knight of Wands is always ready to show the world and the Universe how great and awesome they are. They have that kind of attractiveness and charm that gets you drawn to them.
They are fun to be around, especially at parties. These Knights are not afraid to take the first step to get things moving, inspiring people and empowering the people around them. This kind of person is good to be around because their confidence is contagious.
This person is assertive yet, at the same time, needs a lot of validation to keep their confidence rolling.
This Knight of Wands loves to lead the group towards an enjoyable and adventurous life. Along with their effortless charisma, they are someone you would like to be around.
King of Wands
All kings are leaders, and the King of Wands is the real deal. He is a leader who inspires others. Fuelled by passion, wisdom, and experience to bring ideas and vision to the real world. This is a court card of achievement and completion.
You can depend and trust on this person who walks the talk. They follow through on their promises and want to take action in making things happen. This is someone who gets things done effectively and efficiently.
They have a charisma that exudes stability, groundedness, and sexy in its steadiness and consistency. Other people want to be around this energy and bask up the King’s ideas.
The King of Wands knows how to approach projects calmly, carefully controlled, and poised. There is no need to rush head-on into things – this King is bold and robust rather than wild and disruptive.
Having reached this rank, this person may be excellent at delegating. They do not need to micro-manage because they know that they are in control.
Queen of Wands
This is the kind of person everybody wants. The Queen of Wands has all traits and confidence that make a person attractive. She lives a life that she really loves and owns it all with joy (even the rocky patches – this isn’t about having a ‘perfect life.)
This is not only a person who gets things done but who is creative. In art, business, life, and any sphere, the Queen of Wands does things her way. She understood a long time ago not to compromise herself or fit herself to others’ molds.
Onlookers may view her with mixed opinions – some loving her daring, colorful style, some disapproving. Nobody could say that she was living any life but her own.
This Queen is loud and proud and never apologizes for herself. Like all queens, she has ‘done the work .’ she’s looked deeply into her own soul and has understood who she is on a spiritual level. She’s doing great as she is.
The most essential characteristic of the Queen of Wands is her lust for life. This is a positive person who feels abundant. If she needs something she doesn’t have, this person manifests it through sheer force of will – she believes in good things, asks for them, and expects them. This person works with the fiery energy of the Universe, tapping into more significant forces to make her desires come to life.
