Library
The meaning of playing cards in fortune telling
Fortune telling with playing cards, called cartomancy, uses a deck of 36 cards: from six to ace in each of the four suits. In the tradition the suit gives the theme: hearts for love and emotions, diamonds for money and news, clubs for work and luck, and spades for challenges. The cards are read together, and the suit that prevails sets the tone.
The suits
What the four suits mean
| Card | Suit | Theme in the tradition |
|---|---|---|
| Hearts | Love & emotions | |
| Diamonds | Money & news | |
| Clubs | Work & luck | |
| Spades | Challenges |
The red suits, hearts and diamonds, carry the quicker and the lighter in the tradition. The black ones, clubs and spades, carry the slow, the difficult and what takes effort.
The deck
All 36 cards of the deck
| Card | Name | In a word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hearts · love and emotions | |||
| 6 Hearts | Sincerity | Calm, honest affection; a small kindness that warms the heart when you least expect it. | |
| 7 Hearts | Flirtation | Romantic thoughts and a light, playful spark; someone is quietly on your mind. | |
| 8 Hearts | Invitation | Deep feeling and family warmth; an invitation or a drawing closer to someone dear. | |
| 9 Hearts | The Wish | The wish card: a heartfelt dream coming true and a taste of real happiness. | |
| 10 Hearts | Joy | Great joy in the home; harmony, celebration, sometimes a wedding on the horizon. | |
| Jack Hearts | The Lover | A young person in love or a loyal friend; welcome news for the heart. | |
| Queen Hearts | Loving Woman | A caring, warm-hearted woman: a mother, a partner, or a close friend. | |
| King Hearts | Good Man | A kind, faithful man; a dependable partner or a devoted father figure. | |
| Ace Hearts | Home & Love | The heart of the matter: home, love, and a strong emotional bond. | |
| Diamonds · money and news | |||
| 6 Diamonds | Small News | A modest sum or a brief message; an unexpected short trip close to home. | |
| 7 Diamonds | Gossip | Minor news and idle talk; small expenses or a slight delay in your plans. | |
| 8 Diamonds | Negotiation | Money in motion, business correspondence, conversations around a deal. | |
| 9 Diamonds | The Deal | A meaningful sum or an important document; success in striking an agreement. | |
| 10 Diamonds | Profit | A large gain or money arriving from afar; a change of place or address. | |
| Jack Diamonds | The Messenger | A young business contact, or news that arrives by letter or message. | |
| Queen Diamonds | Businesswoman | A practical, capable woman; at times a rival in matters of business. | |
| King Diamonds | Man of Power | A businessman, a boss, or someone with money and real influence. | |
| Ace Diamonds | Important News | A significant letter, document, or major piece of news on its way to you. | |
| Clubs · work and luck | |||
| 6 Clubs | Stability | A small win earned through effort; steady, secure work you can rely on. | |
| 7 Clubs | Lucky Effort | Minor worries around work, but luck turns in your favor in the end. | |
| 8 Clubs | Effort | Commitments and hard work that are about to pay off. | |
| 9 Clubs | Recognition | Success and recognition; good fortune as you begin something new. | |
| 10 Clubs | Abundance | Great success, travel for work, and a season of abundance. | |
| Jack Clubs | The Helper | A hardworking young person: a colleague or a willing helper. | |
| Queen Clubs | Ambitious Woman | A clever, ambitious woman; a strong partner in business. | |
| King Clubs | The Professional | A respected man, a true professional and a wise adviser. | |
| Ace Clubs | New Venture | Strong fortune and the energy to act; the start of a new venture. | |
| Spades · challenges | |||
| 6 Spades | Obstacle | A small obstacle or a minor quarrel; a brief delay before things move on. | |
| 7 Spades | Worry | Anxiety, a small loss, or a passing disappointment. | |
| 8 Spades | Caution | Cares, conflict, or a matter of health: tread carefully for now. | |
| 9 Spades | The Trial | The hard card: a loss, an ending, or a demanding test of strength. | |
| 10 Spades | Hard Times | A heavy obstacle; the darkest hour before dawn. Once it passes, relief comes. | |
| Jack Spades | The Ill-Wisher | A troubled young person, or someone who means you no good nearby. | |
| Queen Spades | Cunning Woman | A sorrowful or scheming woman; a rival, perhaps a widow. | |
| King Spades | The Opponent | A stern, domineering man; an opponent or a demanding authority. | |
| Ace Spades | Sharp Change | A sudden change or an ending; a decisive choice and a clearing of the air. | |
The spreads
A three-card practice spread
- 1Situation
- 2My action
- 3What to consider
A teaching example: a three-card spread with roles for the places
Give the positions clear roles: “situation”, “my action”, “what to consider”. Draw three cards and record their suits and values. Look them up in the table before combining them.
Read by position: the first describes the question, the second suggests an action you can take, and the third adds a consideration. If a card has several meanings, state which you chose and why it fits the question.
Comparison
Playing cards, tarot and Lenormand
Playing cards have no images and no archetypes: the meaning of each comes from its suit and its rank.
| System | Cards | What the deck holds | A reversed card | How they are read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playing cards | 36 | four suits, from six to ace | usually not read | the suit that prevails sets the tone |
| Tarot | 78 | 22 cards of the Major Arcana and four suits | has its own meaning | each card in its place in the spread |
| Lenormand | 36 | images of objects, people and animals from everyday life | not read | in pairs and rows, like words in a sentence |
The meaning of the tarot cardsThe Lenormand cardsWhich system to choose
Playing cards
Guides
Playing Card Divination: A Complete Guide
Learn to divine with regular playing cards: meanings of suits, 36 cards, spreads, and combinations.11 min readMeaning of Suits in Card Reading
Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, and Spades: what each suit means in playing card readings and how the dominant suit colors the interpretation.11 min readMeaning of the 36 Playing Cards
A complete guide to the meaning of all 36 playing cards-by suit and rank, from 6 to Ace.7 min readPlaying Card Combinations: How to Read Them Together
How to read playing cards together.11 min readHow to Read Playing Cards: Step-by-Step Guide
Learn how to read playing cards: one card, three cards, and cross spreads.13 min readPlaying Cards vs. Tarot and Lenormand: Which System
Playing cards, Tarot, or Lenormand?12 min read
Playing cards
Frequently asked questions
What does each suit mean in fortune telling?
Hearts for love and emotions, diamonds for money and news, clubs for work and luck, and spades for challenges. The red suits carry the quicker and the lighter, the black ones the slower and the harder.
How many cards are used?
A deck of 36 cards, from six to ace in each of the four suits. From the usual deck of 52 cards the twos, threes, fours, fives and the jokers are taken out.
How do you read with playing cards?
The suit that prevails sets the tone, and the rank makes it precise. In the tradition many red cards lean towards “yes” and a quick development, many black ones towards a slower and harder path. In detail in the guide Playing Card Combinations: How to Read Them Together.
How is it different from tarot and Lenormand?
Tarot has 78 cards with archetypes, Lenormand 36 with images, and playing cards 36 in four suits.
Can I read playing cards online?
Yes: on the reading page you draw one, three or five cards. Playing card reading.
Divination
Divine with a real deck
Online divination with playing cards, each one interpreted.