Ten of Cups Explained - Upright & Reversed Meanings

The card of emotional fulfillment, harmony, and family bliss.

Last Updated: April 23, 2024.

The Ten of Cups is the tenth card in the Suit of Cups (also known as the suit of Goblets or Vessels) and one of the fifty-six suit cards from the minor arcana. In divinatory tarot, the Suit of Cups is typically associated with the element of water. It traditionally represents emotions, intuition, relationships, and creativity. Each card of this suit can provide insight into different aspects of our lives such as love, friendship, family, and emotional well-being.

The 10 of Cups card is one of completion, harmony, love, security, and a happy home. When people pull this card upright, it is such a blessing in their lives. They are ready to embrace the finality of this past journey and embrace the new journey before them. Of course, in the reverse, it can indicate dysfunction, a broken home, or disconnection in the family. However, you draw this card, the message is one of embracing the journey and uniting yourself with those closest to you.

Divination practices such as cartomancy can help us make decisions, offer guidance, and help us tune into our intuition when we are at a crossroads in our lives. Understanding the meanings of each tarot card can help you sharpen your interpretative skills so you can get the most out of your readings.

In this article, we will discuss the meanings of the Ten of Cups in various tarot reading contexts as well as the different symbols and nuances that can be found within this court card.

On the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith depiction of the 10 of cups card, we can see 10 cups floating across the sky in the shape of a rainbow signifying a sense of completion and victory sprinkling over the family below. The couple have their arms raised in triumph having finally faced all hurdles of the past to reach the destination of their dreams. 

We can see the females train on her dress is a bit ratted from the journey and her counterparts shoes seems a bit muddy, but they are happy to look upon their destination. 

The children can be seen also excitedly hopping and playing, celebrating their arrival to their new home. In the forefront, we can see a beautiful home surrounded by lush green trees and a river running through it signifying the happy home they have all worked so hard for with an emotional end.

The 10 of cups upright represents the completion of all the lessons and journeys placed before you prior. It shows the victory that comes with hard work and in some situations teamwork! 

You have journeyed long and hard having followed the advice of the minors before this 10, now you can finally indulge in the fruits of your labor. All your dreams have come true and there is a feeling of deep harmony and happiness in your home. 

In some cases, it can indicate a literal journey, perhaps to a new physical home or a new geographical home.

In a love reading, the 10 of cups is a beautiful card to see. It gives a sense of complete and total happiness in the home. It’s the true happily ever after you read about. 

There is a synchronicity between you and your partner that flows through your home. If you are in a committed relationship, you can be looking to move things to the next level (e.g., Proposals, Marriage, Vow Renewals, children) or if you are single this card is seen as a soulmate card and can indicate being ready for a new love to come into your life.

Your finances are doing well and you’re feeling stable, secure, and in true bliss.

For career, because the 10 of cups show that “happy family” dynamic, for me it usually indicates lots of teamwork, even perhaps a job in which you work with families, work with children, work with couples or work with the community. 

In any way that it may resonate, it is usually a good omen in career, it shows a harmonious flow of ideas between you and your team. You are seen as a valuable member among the team and your ideas are welcomed. 

If you serve the community, it can show you showering them with the emotional loving, and stable support that is needed for them to achieve their goals. 

If you are asking the tarot how someone feels about you, pulling the Ten of Cups means that this person sees you as their bliss; their true happy ending. They have worked hard to come to this moment in their lives where everything feels stable enough to share it with someone and that person is you.

They look at you as the person they want to share their hopes and dreams for the future with. They want that happy family, that forever home, and that devoted partnership and they can imagine it with no one else but you.

As a personality archetype, the Ten of Cups represents someone who is optimistic, reliable, and hard-working. These people have worked through a lot of hardships to get to where they are today.

You are usually very comfortable with these people and can feel super safe and at home with them. They are very good at giving advice and helping others to remain positive and achieve the goals that they themselves are seeking.

As a vocation, career or job role, the Ten of Cups represents someone who could be found teaching, working with the community, in social work, or working closely with families. 

The hard work and determination that the 10 of cups depicts is one that flows well in benefiting the needs of their communities. They are happy to share their knowledge and optimism with those willing to learn. 

They are pillars of teamwork and ensuring that the larger picture is the goal being strived for.

If you are asking the tarot for advice regarding a specific situation in your life, pulling the Ten of Cups means that victory can and will be yours but not without some hard work and determination on your part. 

You must be willing to put in the extra effort to make your dreams come true. To do this, it is important to remember that having reached the 10 of cups means having learned the lesson taught in the cards prior and enabling those lessons to achieve this victory in your final chapter in life.

The astrological sign or signs associated with the 10 of cups are the water signs, so Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio for a broad picture. For a more specific picture, it is more so associated with Pisces for its connection to family, structure, and emotions. 

Pisces are very in tune with their emotions and very sympathetic creatures. They are known to go to great lengths to ensure that their loved ones are happy and have what they need. The dates associated with this card are March 11-20th. 

The ten of Cups is a rather positive card so in most cases it will be a yes card in the context of a yes or no tarot spread.

Below are some of my interpretations, as an experienced tarot practitioner, based on different types of questions:

Querent Question: “Will I get the job?”

• Card interpretation: With the 10 of cups being a card of completion and success. The answer would be yes. The potential job you are seeking will see your creativity, passion, and past work experience as huge plus signs for your business. As the 10 of cups also speaks to teamwork and collaborations, you’ll be seen as someone that will bring fresh insights and you will see success through your hard work.

Querent Question: “Is this new person in my life good for me?”

• Card interpretation: This is a bit of a tricky question. I feel with the 10 of cups being about collaborations, teamwork, and soulmates, it may be best to seek the answer to “How can this person expand and grow the life I’m already building?” So, for example, “Are you ready to expand further what you’ve been building on?” The 10 of cups as a person is in the small aspect, “good for you”, but is it what you need and are looking for? These people tend to be established themselves and are ready to expand on their growing dreams. So, if you are looking to grow in love, structure, and build a family unit, then I would say yes, this would be the perfect person for you to build with.

Querent Question: “Will I achieve my current goals?” 

• Card interpretation: Yes! I actually love the 10 of cups in this aspect because it is a card that speaks to one’s efforts actually paying off. You’ve come to the completion of your journey and are now ready to enjoy the fruits of your labor but it can also indicate being seen! If you’ve been busting your behind and putting in the work towards your goals then the 10 of cups is here to rain down victory on you.

Querent Question: “Should I start my own business?” 

• Card interpretation: Yes and no, but only because the 10 of cups card speaks to togetherness and collaboration (even if that isn’t a romantic partner). This could mean a close friend, family member, and/or investor. If opening a business is something you want to do then it’s best to go into business with someone to see the most success. A second option, of course, is to perhaps seek out the mentoring of someone who has been through all the hurdles that owning a business comes with and learn from them in order to take on this project on your own.

In the reversed position, the 10 of cups can speak to dysfunction and discord in the household. There can be a lot of miscommunications within the family unit. It can also speak to a breakdown of the family unit; divorce can sometimes be a topic of conversation. 

The message here is to take a step back and really examine the issues at hand to see where you can begin to rebuild so that healthier and happier conversations can begin.

When the 10 of Cups is also reversed, it can indicate that you are feeling disconnected from your loved ones in your sense of community. It’s important to reach out and connect with those who support and love you, and to work towards rebuilding those relationships. 

Additionally, you may need to reassess your definition of happiness and fulfillment and focus on finding joy within yourself rather than relying solely on external factors. Remember that healing and positive change can come from within, and seek support and guidance if needed from friends, chosen trusted family members, and medical professionals who want what is best for you. 

Therapy isn’t just for when we feel “sad”.

The reverse Ten of Cups in any love reading suggests that there may be some tension or conflict within a relationship, possibly due to unfulfilled expectations or unmet emotional needs. 

This card is a reminder that it’s important to communicate openly and honestly with your partner, and to work together to find a resolution. It may also suggest that it’s time to reevaluate whether the relationship is truly bringing you happiness and fulfillment. Be kind and soft with yourself, and your partner, as you navigate any challenges.

The 10 of cups reversed can indicate hardships for those not in a relationship. It can show a breakdown of communication, tensions or feelings of loneliness when it comes to dating. 

You could be feeling abandoned by your love interests and desperate for things to get better or perhaps even wanting to seek out better. It may be time to consider whether you want to put a pause on dating whilst you look within for a while.

For those that are single out of choice, the 10 of cups bring a message of loneliness, yearning, and the need to find a suitable partner. There is a feeling of lack in regards to being single and I always feel the message here is to find that deep love within yourself because in doing so it turns into a beacon of light that will attract the right partner to you.

For career, the 10 of cups reversed can indicate dysfunction among your team. You and your boss or coworkers may not be seeing eye to on certain projects. You could be feeling as if your voice isn’t being heard and this can lead to a lot of conflicts and arguments. 

The message here is to remain calm and try to work with everyone in regard to their particular set of skills. No one person has it all and it is always best to integrate each person’s strong suit in order to bring projects to life.

This card is all about the team so remember to not get so caught up in the house “me” when handling subject matters that require the house of “we”.

In conclusion, the Ten of Cups card is a powerful symbol of love, peace, harmony, a happy home, completion, reunions, marriage, children, blessings, and creativity. When this card appears in your reading, it is often a sign that you have found a sort of “happily ever after”, or that it’s very close to being on its way. This cycle of your journey is coming to a close, and to look back with nothing but love is a blessing in itself.

Despite its association with mysticism and occultism, the tarot has grown to become much more than a simple “fortune-telling” tool. For many tarot practitioners, it is a complex system made of symbolic imagery and psychological considerations (Jungian archetypes for example) that can be used for self-exploration, meditation, and personal transformation.

The 56 lesser arcana cards relate to the day-to-day events of our lives, the more mundane aspects of our existence. Even though that part of the tarot is about the “smaller picture”, it symbolizes the constant choices we make that shape our lives, our characters, and ultimately our destinies.

Have you ever had a reading where the Ten Of Cups appeared? What was the outcome? What does that card mean to you personally? How do you interpret this card in your own tarot practice?

Share your thoughts and experiences with me in the comments below. Additionally, If you want to know more about the different tarot cards, feel free to check out my complete list of all 78 tarot cards and their meanings.

Written by Nydia

I’m Nydia aka Nightshade the curator of @NightShadeReadsTarot on Instagram. I’m a third-generation witch from New York whose main focus is helping to guide people spiritually through my tarot practice by using my own gifted intuition along with messages from my guides and deities. Tarot to me isn’t something to fear but something to embrace as an intuitive tool to assist and guide you along your journey. As most witches, my familiar is the snail, you will see my snail familiar everywhere! They are sacred to me as they represent patience, wisdom, persistence, peace, self-care, and harmony.