Suit: Cups
Five of Cups: tarot card meaning
Loss, sadness and what is still left.
Yes or no: No
Upright position
A figure in black mourns three spilled cups, not seeing the two upright ones behind. The card is about grief and disappointment, but also that not everything is lost.
More about the card
A figure in a black cloak bends over three spilled cups, while two upright ones stand behind. In the distance are a bridge and a castle. The Five of Cups is about sadness, loss and regret for what didn’t work out. The card acknowledges that it hurts, and that is normal. But it also shows the two cups that survived: something important is left. When the tears recede, it is time to turn around and cross the bridge toward what can still be kept.
Reversed position
The reversed Five is about accepting a loss, forgiveness and returning to life.
Symbolism of the card
Three spilled cups, two upright ones behind them, a bridge and a castle in the distance. The spilled cups mean loss, and the upright cups and the bridge mean the path to recovery is open.
In love and relationships
Sadness after a breakup, regret. Give yourself time to live through it.
At work and in finances
A setback, disappointment with the result. What can be saved?
Reversed in love
A gradual recovery after a breakup, forgiveness and acceptance. You stop looking only at what was lost. The card suggests opening up to support and noticing those who are near.
As a feeling
Sadness, regret, disappointment. It marks a hard time over what happened.
The card as a person
A sensitive person who is going through a loss or disappointment right now. They tend to return in thought to the past and blame themselves, though they need support, not criticism.
As the card of the day
Give yourself time for sadness, but don’t get stuck in it. Talk to someone close, write about your feelings. Look at what good you have left and be thankful for it.
Yes or no
Not in the form you were hoping for. But not everything is lost.
Combinations with other cards
- Five of Cups + Three of Swords
Deep grief after a breakup or betrayal, which needs time.
- Five of Cups + Six of Cups
Nostalgia and longing for the past, a wish to bring back the old.
- Five of Cups + Death
An ending after which a new stage usually begins.
Questions to ask yourself
When this card comes up, it helps to answer honestly:
- What do I need to grieve in order to let go?
- What do I still have, despite the loss?
- Who can support me right now?
The card’s advice
Turn toward what is left.