Five of Cups Tarot Card Meaning

At first glance, the Five of Cups Tarot card evokes feelings of sadness and hopelessness. A downcast figure gazes sorrowfully at the overturned cups at their feet, symbolizing a significant loss in life that seems irreversible, leaving them feeling empty and inconsolable.

The entire image of the person, wrapped in a mourning cloak, stirs a profound sense of grief. Yet, there is hope—behind them stand two upright cups, and a bridge stretches over the River of Sorrow to a new beginning. Perhaps it's time to focus on what you still have, rather than what you've lost?

In its upright position, the Five of Cups card foretells emotional and personal losses—broken connections, a marriage falling apart. A wedding might be canceled, a loved one might leave, friends could betray, or relatives might deceive. However, sometimes the Five of Cups doesn't predict but rather acknowledges what has already happened—it’s possible that a negative event has already occurred, and you find yourself in a state of emotional turmoil, struggling to accept and come to terms with it.

Yet, there is also a positive message within the Five of Cups Tarot card—as difficult as losses and deep feelings may be, you have the ability to rise from this sea of despair and embrace life once again. Remember, everything in life is temporary, and after losses comes growth and new opportunities. Are you too focused on your sorrows? Try to be more optimistic—your glass is half full!

The Five of Cups Arcana reminds us that not everything is lost: there are still people, things, ambitions, and desires that keep you afloat and allow you to look forward to the future with hope!

Key Meanings of the Upright Five of Cups

• The bitterness of loss, emptiness, ruin, disappointment in life, sadness, confusion, melancholy, depression, farewells.
• Inner conflict, shattered illusions, unrealized plans, creative stagnation.
• Family troubles, problematic relationships, disharmonious unions, lack of mutual understanding.

The reversed Five of Cups Tarot card brings an encouraging message — the period of misfortune and loss has come to an end! Gradually, the pain will fade, emotional wounds will heal, and a new chapter of life will begin — fresh and untouched, ready for you to create a new storyline and write a beautiful tale free from the mistakes of the past.

The reversed Five of Cups promises a calm and favorable phase in life, allowing you to regain strength and inner balance while planning your next steps. At the same time, this card advises keeping a good memory to draw constructive lessons from past setbacks, becoming wiser and more cautious.

Through deep inner experiences, you can carve a path into the future. Let the unpleasant lesson taught by Destiny become the foundation for future successes and achievements!

Key Meanings of the Reversed Five of Cups

• Finding harmony, peace of mind, renewal, courage, inspiration, hopeful news, anticipation of positive changes.
• Learning from past experiences and having the ability to analyze and draw conclusions.
• New love, meeting someone special, beginnings of relationships, marriage, recovery.

In love readings, the upright Five of Cups card foretells emotional turmoil, a breakup with a loved one, and inner confusion. You might be disappointed in past relationships, or they aren’t unfolding as you imagined, leaving your heart filled with negative emotions and resentment.

Perhaps a promising encounter turned out to be hollow, and you took it too much to heart. Let go—and the pain will quickly fade away. Don't withdraw into yourself, don't overanalyze, and avoid seeing life too bleakly—new hopes and happiness are within reach, just extend your hand!

When reversed, the card’s meaning shifts to indicate reconciliation with a loved one.

When asking about an admirer or lover

In a reading about an admirer or partner, the upright card suggests that your chosen one is someone disillusioned with love. At least for a time. They need understanding and support.

The reversed card indicates that in love, your chosen one is someone who learns from mistakes. They might not be perfect yet, but they have the potential to become so, as genuine experience in love is invaluable!

In business readings, the Five of Cups card signifies a breakdown in agreements and losses. Past mistakes resurface, partners and colleagues may betray you, bosses become hostile, plans fall apart, and everything seems to go awry—with no end in sight. A negative outlook and inability to see potential opportunities can worsen the situation, plunging one deeper into troubles.

Could it be that you are shortsightedly viewing the situation, focusing solely on the negatives and overlooking the positives? Remember the optimist's first rule—the glass is always half full!

When reversed, the card's meaning shifts to the opposite, predicting improvements in matters and good news in business.

When drawing the upright Five of Cups card, it often represents a person who has faced disappointment in something or someone. This individual may be haunted by regrets from the past, struggling to accept the current state of affairs.

In its reversed position, this card describes someone whose life is not stagnant; they have learned from their mistakes and strive not to repeat them, boldly moving forward. Challenges strengthen them, making them more resilient!

In the upright position, the card advises you to let go of futile regrets about the past. Why lament over what cannot be changed? Life calls for moving forward.

When appearing reversed in a reading, the card encourages you to free yourself from useless regrets about the past: they hinder your ability to live in the present and move ahead.

If the card appears upright, the forecast for your situation is mixed. Regrets about the past might hold you back. Why lament over things you can't change? Life calls for moving forward.

In the reversed position, the outlook for your situation is uncertain. However, you can achieve your goals, but only if you avoid repeating past mistakes.

With the 0 card, The Fool – Parting with a loved one, lack of motivation, loss of balance.

With the 1 card, The Magician — Unfulfilled hopes, death of a relative, inheritance.

With the 2 card, The High Priestess — Unpleasant news, realization of a problem, self-analysis.

In combination with the 3 card, The Empress — Unpleasant memories, meeting with an ex, disappointment in someone.

With the 4 card, The Emperor — Dominance of logic, rethinking behavior, overcoming failures.

With the 5 card, The Hierophant — True understanding of things, realization of the falsehood of the path, disillusionment with religion.

With the 6 card, The Lovers — Hopes did not come true, get involved in someone else's game, bad news, a difficult situation.

With the 7 card, The Chariot — Unexpected find, family troubles, foolish behavior.

With the 8 card, Strength — Deep understanding of things, correctness, secret knowledge that helps understand what is happening.

With the 9 card, The Hermit — Cut off the unnecessary, get rid of unnecessary acquaintances, bring feelings in order.

With the 10 card, The Wheel of Fortune — Problems from the past, unnecessary burden of guilt, introversion or fear.

With the 11 card, Justice — Read an official document, announcement of a will, nerve-racking situation.

With the 12 card, The Hanged Man — Unpleasant meeting with relatives, public event, bad news or expected deterioration of affairs.

With the 13 card, Death — Disinheritance, offense or unwarranted claims, review habits and give up something.

With the 14 card, Temperance — Spiritual path, choice of religion or philosophy, self-improvement.

With the 15 card, The Devil — Unfulfilled hopes, reckless life, fleeting remorse for what was done.

With the 16 card, The Tower — Heavy loss, emotional crisis, too late to realize.

With the 17 card, The Star — Believe and be deceived, disappointment, mourn a dream or temporarily part with a loved one.

With the 18 card, The Moon — Bad way to relax, bad premonitions will come true, bad news.

With the 19 card, The Sun — Receiving compensation, consolation, return to the usual routine.

With the 20 card, Judgement — Litigate for inheritance, quarrel with blood relatives, unpleasant situation with household members.

With the 21 card, The World — Desire to be alone, lose interest in work, disappointment in current relationships.

With the Ace of Wands — Being on the brink of disappointment, finding out about betrayal or treachery, loss of strength.

With the Two of Wands — Negative thinking, expecting failure, pessimism, and exaggerating danger.

With the Three of Wands — Getting disappointed in a project or relationship, receiving unpleasant news, making discouraging conclusions.

With the Four of Wands — Retreating within oneself, receiving bad news from relatives, experiencing difficulties at home.

With the Five of Wands — Withdrawing within oneself, receiving bad news from relatives, experiencing difficulties at home.

With the Six of Wands — Losing leadership, reevaluating behavior or the habit of giving orders, family disagreements.

With the Seven of Wands — Melancholy, lingering resentments and unspoken grievances, having a difficult character, pessimism.

With the Eight of Wands — Conflict of interests, a bad or unfavorable offer, dissatisfaction with work or relationships.

With the Nine of Wands — Declining an offer, reliving sorrowful events, withdrawing within oneself.

With the Ten of Wands — Pessimism, despondency, obsessing over existing troubles and withdrawing within oneself.

With the Page of Wands — Acting judgmentally or impulsively, making a mistake, gaining a bad reputation or feeling ashamed.

With the Knight of Wands — An impulsive nature causing more problems, lack of support or understanding, receiving unpleasant news.

With the Queen of Wands — A plan or agreement falling apart, inability to compromise, a project going awry.

With the King of Wands — Loss of interest, a decrease in energy, losing one's grip.

With the Ace of Swords — Overcoming depression, becoming disillusioned with the world order, sticking to one's opinion.

With the Two of Swords — Confusion, lack of information, a difficult moral choice.

With the Three of Swords — Experiencing a rift with a close person, mourning the betrayal of a significant other, a harsh lesson.

With the Four of Swords — Isolation, deep contemplation and reflection, reclusiveness and secrecy.

With the Five of Swords — Evaluating the current situation, experiencing loss, going through failure and loneliness.

With the Six of Swords — Closing a specific chapter, changing activities or careers, making the decision to end a relationship.

With the Seven of Swords — Receiving less than expected, falling victim to deceit or fraud, a guilty conscience.

With the Eight of Swords — Briefly withdrawing from life, facing a difficult situation, losing moral compass.

With the Nine of Swords — Internal turmoil, introspection, a shocking piece of news.

With the Ten of Swords — A challenging period, feeling lost in complexity, total pessimism.

With the Page of Swords — Becoming disappointed in the fight, becoming more accommodating, needing to pretend or be hypocritical.

With the Knight of Swords — Being disillusioned with one's profession, disregarding others' arguments, dangerous conviction.

With the Queen of Swords — Falling under someone else's influence, attempting to break free from control, experiencing injustice or deciding to divorce.

With the King of Swords — The force of the law, falling victim to a hot temper, feeling injustice and powerlessness.

With the Two of Cups — A serious disagreement, withdrawing into the inner world with resentment, receiving confirmation of betrayal.

With the Three of Cups — Disconnecting from others, introversion, feeling tired of hypocrisy, needing some time to rest.

With the Four of Cups — Tiredness from disappointments, naivety and protest, learning from one's own mistakes.

With the Six of Cups — Controversial life experience, becoming disillusioned with the past, hiding unsavory actions.

With the Seven of Cups — Losing inspiration, an unattainable dream, lacking a creative approach.

With the Eight of Cups — Attempting to change one's own habits, turning down an offer, becoming disillusioned with relationships.

With the Nine of Cups — Feeling sad, experiencing sudden mood swings, feeling self-righteous.

With the Ten of Cups — Rejecting family life, seeking independence, facing disapproval from loved ones.

With the Page of Cups — Receiving consolation or approval, having an interesting idea, attempting to distract oneself.

With the Knight of Cups — Losing interest, deviating from a profitable path, finding one's own morals or principles.

With the Queen of Cups — Losing passion for socializing, becoming closed off in one's feelings, facing misunderstanding from society.

With the King of Cups — Receiving support from a mentor, dealing with an overbearing man, encountering an optimistic friend.

With the Ace of Pentacles — Squandering savings through incompetence, rejecting material possessions, suffering in pursuit of wealth.

With the Two of Pentacles — Becoming tired of a carefree lifestyle, becoming disillusioned with one's actions, inability to plan expenses.

With the Three of Pentacles — Futile attempts to earn, lack of negotiation skills, unfavorable conditions.

With the Four of Pentacles — Tiredness from economizing and self-restriction, experiencing financial stability.

With the Five of Pentacles — Financial failure, lack of means in everyday life, experiencing hardships and deprivation.

With the Six of Pentacles — Being dependent on others, receiving government assistance, seeking alms, begging for attention.

With the Seven of Pentacles — Hoping for the future, believing in something good, gaining a small profit.

With the Eight of Pentacles — Working on inner peace, coming out of depression, seeking help from a specialist.

With the Nine of Pentacles — Accepting circumstances, choosing logic and pragmatism, showing practicality.

With the Ten of Pentacles — Innate talents, suffering from one's own abilities, experiencing excessive pressure from family.

With the Page of Pentacles — Following one's own path, a difficult path of entrepreneurship, feeling exhausted.

With the Knight of Pentacles — Being successful but lonely, feeling envy, becoming disillusioned with one's profession.

With the Queen of Pentacles — Forced hypocrisy, hidden talents and abilities, facing misunderstanding from society.

With the King of Pentacles — Stable success, dealing with a distant leader, losing interest in work or enrichment.