Ten of Cups Tarot Card Meanings: Love, Reversed & More

Each of the suits of the Minor Arcana tells its own story, complete with ups, downs, triumphs, and failures. Tens are the endings, and describe the conclusion to each of these self-contained plots.

Tarot works for divination because every person will experience part of these stories at one point in their lives — the cards that appear in your reading tell you the story that applies to you.

The Ten of Cups concludes a story that revolves around the emotions and the element of Water. It describes ultimate emotional fulfillment and happiness.

About Ten of Cups

  • Keywords: Peaceful families, joy, reunions, harmony, abundance
  • Keywords (Reversed): Dysfunction, abuse, instability
  • Yes or No: Yes
  • Yes or No (Reversed): No
  • Element: Water
  • Zodiac Sign: Pisces

The Ten of Cups card is a card that just exudes joy. In the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot, it’s illustrated as a happy family under an arching rainbow.

There’s a man and woman with their backs to the viewer. Each one has an arm around the other’s waist, and their free hands gesture to the bounty in front of them.

Beside them, two children clasp hands and dance in a circle. Just looking at the family, you can see signs of love, happiness, and harmony.

Ten of Cups Tarot Card.

The background of the card tells the rest of the story. The sky is blue and cloudless, so there are no symbols of strife on the horizon.

The land around the couple is green, lush, and fertile. A gentle stream meanders through rolling hills and tall trees. In the distance, you can see a cozy-looking red and white house.

An arc of cups crosses the sky. There are ten in total, highlighted by the colors of the rainbow.

Their presence in the sky suggests an element of spiritual fulfillment, as well — these cups aren’t in anyone’s hands or sitting on the ground. They’re in the sky, where they serve more as a metaphor than as a symbol of a physical object.

See also: Check out Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot decks here.

Ten of Cups Meaning (Upright)

The Ten of Cups is one of the best cards to get in any reading. In a general sense, it means happiness, fulfillment, and peace.

You’re likely to experience a deep sense of emotional and spiritual harmony. Your family life will be calm and joyful, and you may be surrounded by all kinds of abundance.

In some cases, this card can symbolize an event. This may be a marriage, birth, family reunion, or moving into a new home.

Ten of Cups Meaning (Reversed)

When reversed, the Ten of Cups is one of those cards whose meaning is drastically altered. Instead of happiness and harmony, there is discontent and strife.

It often points to difficult family relationships, or even neglect and abuse. Just as the Ten of Cups upright describes the height of emotional and spiritual fulfillment, the Ten of Cups reversed describes the nadir.

In a less-gloomy context, it may represent feelings of nostalgia or homesickness. You may be feeling lonely when this card appears, and long for happier times.

See also: Check out alternate Tarot decks here.

Ten of Cups Meaning – Love & Relationships (Upright)

When it comes to love and relationships, the Ten of Cups is a fantastic omen. You’re likely to enjoy a period of harmony, love, and happiness when it appears.

In some situations, it may even be an omen of commitment, marriage, or pregnancy. It’s a good sign in every respect.

For single people, this card can represent meeting one’s soulmate. It’s often a harbinger of a happy, committed relationship that offers you everything you want from a partner.

Ten of Cups Meaning – Love & Relationships (Reversed)

The Ten of Cups reversed isn’t a great sign for love and relationships. Since the suit of Cups represents the element of Water, its meaning is inextricably tied up in emotional matters. When it appears reversed, it’s pointing out that your emotional state isn’t a great one.

There might be a lot of arguments and conflicts in your relationship. You may also find that you and your partner aren’t on the same page when it comes to a home, marriage, commitment, or family.

If you’re single, then the Ten of Cups reversed may point to some unresolved family trauma. These childhood wounds might be keeping you from being able to maintain a happy, committed relationship.

Since this card has a very powerful meaning, it may be a good idea to seek some kind of professional help to resolve this trauma and allow you to heal.

See also: Check out the current top 100 Best-Selling Tarot books in the USA here.

Ten of Cups Meaning – As Feelings (Upright)

The Ten of Cups upright points to a very deep, fulfilling emotional connection. This person could even think of you as a soul mate.

When they look at you, they may be imagining a house, family, and growing old together. This is a very positive card that indicates the desire for a happy, long-lasting relationship.

Ten of Cups Meaning – As Feelings (Reversed)

Reversed, the Ten of Cups warns that this person is feeling like there’s a sense of disquiet and disconnection. Something is disrupting the sense of harmony that you two could share.

While this person likely wants a more committed relationship with you, they don’t feel like it’s a good time right now and have no idea how to fix things.

Ten of Cups Meaning – As Reconciliation (Upright)

When it comes to reconnecting, the Ten of Cups is a sign of a happy ever after. Your ex misses you and knows that you both had something very special.

They see a great future for the two of you and know that you could make it work. If you’d like to reconcile, now could be a very good time to reach out to them.

Ten of Cups Meaning – As Reconciliation (Reversed)

Reversed, the Ten of Cups says that your ex wishes things could’ve been better. They think positively of you and miss you sometimes, but also acknowledge that something was missing.

It’s also possible that there’s something unrelated holding them back from trying to reconcile, like a move to a new city. A reconciliation is unlikely to happen right now, though it could be possible in the future.

Ten of Cups Meaning – Careers, Business & Money (Upright)

For business and career readings, the Ten of Cups is a good — if unusual — sign. It signifies emotional fulfillment, so you’re likely to be doing work that you find fun, challenging, and important.

It can also represent achieving a work-life balance that allows you ample time to enjoy your home, family, and leisure time.

Note that the suit of Cups generally doesn’t describe money. While having the time and freedom to enjoy yourself implies that you’re making enough money to do so, this may not always be the case.

Not all success can be measured by a paycheck. You might be perfectly fulfilled in a job that doesn’t pay very well.

For purely financial readings, the Ten of Cups represents hard work and smart investments paying off. You’ve put the work into establishing a way to take care of yourself and those you love, and now you get to enjoy the fruits of your labors.

Ten of Cups Meaning – Careers, Business & Money (Reversed)

In its reversed orientation, the Ten of Cups isn’t really a good sign for career and business spreads. When it appears, you may be having difficulties working with others.

You might also feel that your job isn’t emotionally fulfilling, doesn’t offer you a good work-life balance, or isn’t helping you progress to the happy, harmonious future you aspire to.

In some situations, it can also indicate working with people in difficult family situations, like as a marriage counselor or social worker.

For money readings, the Ten of Cups hints at a lack of stability. Your investments and plans aren’t setting you up for the peaceful, abundant life depicted in the card. This is your last chance to change course and create a happy ending for yourself.

Ten of Cups: Yes or No?

The Ten of Cups is an overwhelmingly joyful card. In “Yes or No” readings, it indicates that you’ll get the outcome that you’re hoping for. You’re likely to be very content, relaxed, and happy. Consider it a “Yes!”

When the Ten of Cups is reversed, on the other hand, that “Yes” becomes a hard “No.” This card is a harbinger of unhappiness, discontentment, and struggles. You’re probably not going to get what you want out of this situation.


The Ten of Cups gives off a very calming, happy energy. There are no signs of trouble anywhere in its imagery — everything is bright, relaxed, abundant, and joyful.

When it appears upright, it describes a happiness that seems to transcend the emotions. When reversed, it warns us that the path we’re on won’t lead us where we want to go.

See also: For more Tarot Card Meanings, check out our full list of Tarot Card Meanings here.


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