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Tarot Card Library

King of Cups

King of Cups tarot card meaning: upright & reversed interpretations, plus love, career & yes-or-no guidance. Keywords: emotional maturity, calm authority.

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King of Cups

Tarot Card

Minor Arcana

King of Cups: symbolism & imagery

A king sits on a throne afloat a turbulent sea, calm and unmoved by the waves around him.

King of Cups upright meaning

Mastery over feeling: present with emotion, including a partner's intensity, without being ruled by it.

King of Cups reversed meaning

Reversed, it can mean moodiness, manipulation, or feeling suppressed beneath a calm surface.

All 78 reversed meanings

King of Cups in love & relationships

The King of Cups in love is emotional steadiness, offering calm and maturity even amid a partner's intensity, present with feeling without being ruled by it. It points to a grounded, supportive connection. The card favors genuine calm rather than a composed surface over unprocessed emotion.

King of Cups in career & work

At work, the King of Cups is calm, wise leadership that manages people and emotion well: diplomatic, steady under pressure, and emotionally mature. The card favors leading with composure and empathy rather than reactivity.

King of Cups in money & finances

Financially, the King of Cups points to balanced judgment, neither impulsive nor overly cautious, making decisions from a steady place. The card favors measured, emotionally-grounded financial choices over reactive ones.

How King of Cups feels

Mastery over feeling, present with emotion without being ruled by it.

King of Cups: advice

Let your calm be genuine, not a mask for what you haven't processed.

King of Cups: reflection prompt

What feeling are you managing so well that you've stopped noticing it?

Is King of Cups a yes or no?

yes, with steady, considered judgment

Yes or no leanings for all 78 cards
Want a fuller reading? Use this card inside a spread and save the interpretation to your journal.

King of Cups: frequently asked questions

What does King of Cups mean?

Mastery over feeling: present with emotion, including a partner's intensity, without being ruled by it.

What does King of Cups mean reversed?

Reversed, it can mean moodiness, manipulation, or feeling suppressed beneath a calm surface.

What does King of Cups mean in love?

The King of Cups in love is emotional steadiness, offering calm and maturity even amid a partner's intensity, present with feeling without being ruled by it. It points to a grounded, supportive connection. The card favors genuine calm rather than a composed surface over unprocessed emotion.

Is King of Cups a yes or no card?

yes, with steady, considered judgment

Is King of Cups a Major or Minor Arcana card?

King of Cups is a Minor Arcana card in the suit of Cups. Cups is the suit of water, covering emotion, relationships and intuition, which is the arena this card's meaning plays out in.

Terms on this page

Full glossary
  • Rider-Waite-Smith

More cards in Cups

View all Cups

Cups

Ace of Cups

new feeling · openness · emotional beginning

Cups

Two of Cups

mutual connection · partnership · union

Cups

Three of Cups

celebration · friendship · community

Cups

Four of Cups

apathy · contemplation · missed opportunity

Cups

Five of Cups

loss · disappointment · regret

Cups

Six of Cups

nostalgia · reconnection · innocence

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