King of Cups
King of Cups, minor arcana. emotional balance, diplomacy, generosity, calm control.
A king on a throne floating on a restless sea holds a cup and a sceptre, with a fish around his neck. He rules the waves of feeling without being thrown by them.
Upright
- emotional balance
- diplomacy
- generosity
- calm control
A king on a throne floating on a restless sea holds a cup and a sceptre, with a fish around his neck. He rules the waves of feeling without being thrown by them.
Reversed
- emotional manipulation
- moodiness
- volatility
- cold withdrawal
Feelings suppressed, or used as leverage. Reversed, the card warns about moods that are controlling the situation.
Not every reader uses reversals. Many treat a reversed card as the same theme, blocked, delayed or turned inward.
Astrology and numerology
Court cards are read as people or as styles of behaviour rather than as events. King of Cups is traditionally linked with the water signs: Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. These links are looser than those for the numbered cards, and writers differ over which court goes with which sign.
Yes or no
In yes or no tarot, King of Cups counts as a yes when upright, and as a no when reversed. This follows a common convention and not a rule from the deck's makers.
Tarot is a tradition of symbolism. This page says what readers traditionally associate with the card. It does not predict anything and it is not advice.