Every Tarot card is a visual universe packed with symbols. From the background colors to the position of the characters' hands, every detail has a deliberate meaning that enriches interpretation. Great tarot readers don't just read cards by name; they decipher the story told by their symbols. This dictionary is an exhaustive reference of over 200 symbols you will find in the most popular Tarot decks, especially in the Rider-Waite-Smith system. Organized by category for easy reference, this resource will allow you to discover layers of meaning that previously went unnoticed. Complement this dictionary with MysticNova readings, where our artificial intelligence analyzes the symbolism of each card in the specific context of your question, offering interpretations that go beyond surface meaning.

Color Symbols

Colors in the Tarot are not decorative: each tone transmits an energetic vibration and a specific meaning that Tarot artists use with deliberate intention.

Red: Passion and Action

Red represents passion, vital energy, desire, and action. It appears in the Magician's roses, the Emperor's robes, and the Empress's fruits. Excess red can indicate anger, aggression, or impulsivity. When it dominates a card, it signals that emotions are intense and the situation requires decisive action.

Blue: Intuition and Communication

Blue is the color of water, intuition, and spiritual communication. It dominates in The High Priestess's robe, the High Priestess's mantle, and the sky of many cards. Light blue indicates peace and clarity; dark blue, emotional depth and mystery. It is the most frequent color in spirituality-related cards.

Yellow/Gold: Consciousness and Illumination

Yellow and gold represent solar consciousness, illumination, intellect, and divine abundance. The golden background of many cards (The Sun, Wheel of Fortune) indicates positive energy and mental clarity. Gold appears in crowns and scepters as a symbol of materialized spiritual power.

White: Purity and New Beginnings

White symbolizes purity, innocence, truth, and new beginnings. It appears in Death's white rose (purification), the white horse (spiritual force), and angels' vestments. When a card has much white, it indicates clean and transparent energy in the situation.

Black: Mystery and the Unknown

Black is not necessarily negative in the Tarot. It represents mystery, the unconscious, unmanifested potential, and the depth of the creative void. It appears in the background of cards like The Moon and The Tower, suggesting we are operating in unknown territory where intuition must guide us.

Green: Growth and Nature

Green is the color of nature, growth, fertility, and healing. It dominates in cards like The Empress and many Wands cards. It indicates that something is growing, maturing, or healing. It is also associated with material abundance and the generosity of the natural world.

Purple: Spirituality and Power

Purple combines red's passion with blue's wisdom. It represents elevated spirituality, mystical power, and alchemical transformation. It appears in the Hierophant's vestments and in cards of high spiritual vibration. It is the color most associated with the practice of Tarot itself.

Gray: Neutrality and Wisdom

Gray represents neutrality, balance between opposites, and wisdom that comes from experience. It appears in castles, mountains, and clouds, suggesting stability and elevated perspective. It is not an exciting color, but deeply stabilizing.

Animal Symbols

Animals in the Tarot are archetypal messengers connecting with instinctive energies and natural forces.

The Lion

Symbol of strength, courage, nobility, and inner fire. It appears in Strength (tamed by compassion), the Wheel of Fortune, and as a symbol of the Leo sign. The domesticated lion indicates mastery of instincts; the wild lion, uncontrolled passionate energy.

The Eagle

Represents elevated vision, spiritual transformation, and the Water element in its most evolved form (the scorpion transformed into eagle). It appears in the Wheel of Fortune and The World as one of the four living beings, associated with the Scorpio sign.

The Dog

Symbol of loyalty, instinct, and guidance. The two dogs in The Moon represent the domesticated and wild instincts we must balance. In The Fool, the dog can be a faithful companion accompanying the journey or an instinct warning of danger.

The Horse

Represents driving force, freedom, and movement. The white horse (Death, Knights) symbolizes pure spiritual force. The black horse indicates mystery or unconscious forces. The Tarot Knights mounted on horseback represent action directed by an ideal.

The Serpent

A dual symbol representing both wisdom and temptation. In the Wheel of Fortune, the serpent descends (fall, materialism). In other traditions, the serpent biting its own tail (ouroboros) symbolizes the eternal cycle of death and rebirth.

The Crayfish

Associated with Cancer and The Moon, the crayfish emerges from the depths of the unconscious. It represents deep emotions, hidden fears, and psychic content that emerges to the surface when we are in altered states of consciousness.

The Dove

Universal symbol of peace, the Holy Spirit, and divine communication. It appears in the Ace of Cups as a message of spiritual love and in The Star as confirmation of hope. The dove always indicates a blessing or message from the spiritual realm.

Plant and Natural Symbols

Plants, flowers, and natural elements of the Tarot encode messages about growth, cycles, and connection to the earth.

The Rose

The rose is the most important symbol in the Tarot. The red rose represents desire and passion. The white rose symbolizes purity and innocence. Roses on the Death card indicate the beauty born from transformation. The Magician's rose garden signals the manifestation of pure desire.

The Lily

Symbol of purity, innocence, and divine grace. It appears alongside roses in several cards, representing the balance between desire (rose) and purity (lily). The lilies in the Magician's garden indicate that his power is exercised with pure intention.

The Laurel Wreath

Symbol of victory and supreme achievement. It appears in The World as the garland surrounding the dancer and in the Six of Wands as the victor's crown. Laurel was sacred to Apollo and represents the successful culmination of an effort.

Wheat and Grain

They represent abundance, fertility, and the fruit of labor. They appear in The Empress and Pentacles cards. Ripe wheat indicates harvest (positive results); green wheat, growing projects that will bear fruit with patience.

The Cypress

A tree associated with death, eternity, and transition between worlds. Cypresses appear in cards of mourning or transition (Five of Cups, Death). They do not indicate physical death, but the passage from one state of being to another.

Water: Rivers, Seas, and Waterfalls

Water in all its forms represents emotions and the unconscious. A calm river indicates healthy emotional flow. A waterfall signals intense emotions or release. A calm sea is inner peace; a stormy sea, emotional turbulence. The direction of water flow indicates where emotions are heading.

Mountains

They represent challenges, achievements, and elevated perspective. Distant mountains indicate long-term goals. Nearby mountains signal immediate obstacles. Snow-capped mountains suggest pure but difficult-to-reach objectives.

Geometric and Numerical Symbols

Geometric shapes and hidden numbers in Tarot cards follow principles of sacred geometry and numerology.

The Circle

Represents perfection, eternity, and cycles. Circles appear in coins/pentacles (materialization), halos (illumination), The World's garland (completeness), and the Wheel of Fortune (karma). Everything circular in the Tarot speaks of something that is complete in itself or follows a cyclical pattern.

The Triangle

Pointing upward represents the fire element, masculinity, and spiritual aspiration. Pointing downward, water, the feminine, and receptivity. The triangle appears explicitly on The High Priestess's chest (with a cross) and implicitly in the composition of many cards.

The Square

Symbol of stability, materiality, and the four elements. The Emperor's square thrones indicate structure and order. The cube upon which the queen of many cards sits represents the material manifestation of power. The number four and the square are synonymous with solid foundation.

The Six-Pointed Star

The union of two triangles (masculine and feminine, above and below) forms the Star of David or Seal of Solomon. It represents the perfect balance of opposites, the union of heaven and earth. It appears implicitly in various Tarot compositions and explicitly in some esoteric decks.

Infinity (Lemniscate)

The infinity symbol appears above the heads of The Magician and Strength, indicating mastery over the infinite cycles of cosmic energy. It represents eternal flow, unlimited power, and the connection between the material and spiritual worlds.

Hidden Numbers

Each Major Arcanum has a number with its own meaning: 1 (unity, beginning), 2 (duality, balance), 3 (creativity, expression), 4 (stability, foundation), 5 (change, conflict), 6 (harmony, choice), 7 (spirituality, quest), 8 (power, regeneration), 9 (culmination, wisdom). These numbers influence interpretation even without being consciously aware of them.

Object and Artifact Symbols

The objects carried by Tarot characters are extensions of their power and symbolic function.

The Crown

Represents authority, achievement, and connection with the divine. Each type of crown has a distinct meaning: the gold crown (earthly power), the star crown (celestial power, as in The Empress), the Hierophant's triple crown (dominion over three worlds).

The Sword

Symbol of intellect, truth, decisive cutting, and justice. Justice's sword cuts between truth and lies. The suit swords represent the air element and mental processes. A raised sword indicates action; a lowered sword, reflection.

The Chalice or Cup

Represents the receptacle of love, emotions, and the divine feminine. The Tarot's Holy Grail is the golden cup appearing in the Ace of Cups. Cups represent the water element and the ability to receive spiritual and emotional blessings.

The Wand or Staff

Symbol of creative power, will, and inner fire. The Magician's wand channels celestial energy toward the earth. Wands represent the fire element, passion, enterprise, and creative action. A flowering wand indicates that power is being used to create life.

The Pentacle or Coin

Represents the materialization of spirit, wealth, health, and the physical world. The pentacle (five-pointed star) is the quintessential human symbol: head, arms, and legs. Pentacles represent the earth element and everything tangible.

The Scales

Exclusive to Justice, the scales represent balance, impartiality, and the law of karma. Balanced scales indicate justice; unbalanced, injustice or pending karmic debt.

The Lantern

Carried by The Hermit, the lantern symbolizes wisdom acquired through experience that illuminates the path in darkness. It is not solar light (intellectual knowledge) but inner light (experiential wisdom). The lantern only illuminates one step at a time, reminding us that the spiritual path is walked little by little.

The Keys

They appear in the Hierophant (crossed at his feet), representing the keys to esoteric knowledge. One golden key (solar, conscious knowledge) and one silver key (lunar, unconscious knowledge) indicate that the Hierophant guards the secrets of both worlds.

Astrological and Celestial Symbols

The Tarot is deeply connected with astrology, and many celestial symbols appear explicitly or coded in the cards.

The Sun

Beyond card XIX, the sun appears in multiple cards as a symbol of consciousness, vitality, and truth. The rising sun indicates new beginnings; the sun at its zenith, fullness; the setting sun, conclusions. The size of the sun in a card indicates how much clarity exists in the situation.

The Moon

The moon in its different phases appears in numerous cards. The full moon (The Moon, XVIII) indicates emotional fullness and maximum intuition. The crescent moon (The High Priestess) suggests growth and mystery. Lunar phases are deeply connected with the Tarot's emotional cycles.

The Stars

The eight stars of card XVII represent hope and divine guidance. The large central star is the Star of Hope; the seven small ones represent the seven chakras. Stars in other cards always indicate celestial guidance, inspiration, or destiny.

Hidden Zodiac Signs

Many cards contain coded astrological references: The Emperor (Aries), The Hierophant (Taurus), The Lovers (Gemini), The Chariot (Cancer), Strength (Leo), The Hermit (Virgo), Justice (Libra), Death (Scorpio), Temperance (Sagittarius), The Devil (Capricorn), The Star (Aquarius), The Moon (Pisces).

Position and Orientation Symbols

The position of elements within a card and the direction characters face are interpretive keys frequently ignored.

Left and Right

The left side of the card (from the observer's perspective) represents the past, the unconscious, and the feminine. The right represents the future, the conscious, and the masculine. A character looking left is connected with the past; looking right, with the future.

Above and Below

The upper part of the card represents the spiritual, celestial, and conscious. The lower part, the material, earthly, and unconscious. The Hanged Man, by being inverted, reminds us that sometimes we must invert our perspective to see the truth.

Facing Forward and In Profile

Characters facing forward (Justice, The Devil) address the querent directly with their message. Those shown in profile (many Knights, The Hermit) are in movement or in the process of change. The direction of their gaze indicates where the energy is heading.

Hand Positions

The raised right hand (The Magician, The Hierophant) indicates the active power of directing energy. The receptive left hand indicates the ability to receive. Both hands raised (The Sun) express total openness. Crossed or closed hands indicate retention or protection.

Conclusion

The symbolic language of the Tarot is so rich that you could spend a lifetime discovering new meanings in cards you have seen hundreds of times. Each symbol is a door to a deeper understanding of yourself and the universe. This dictionary is your starting point, but true mastery comes from personal observation. Next time you perform a reading on MysticNova, take a moment to observe each card's symbols before reading the interpretation. You will be surprised at how much additional information you can extract when you know the Tarot's visual language. Cards are not just read: they are contemplated, felt, and lived.