The four tarot suits are Cups, Swords, Wands and Pentacles. Biddy Tarot’s Minor Arcana overview associates them with emotions, thoughts, motivation and practical matters respectively. These broad symbolic themes are a starting point: the individual card, its position and the question still matter. A suit alone does not determine an outcome.
A compact comparison of the four suits
In Biddy Tarot's suit overview, Cups concern feelings, relationships and intuition; Swords concern ideas, decisions and communication; Wands concern motivation, energy and passion; and Pentacles concern practical or material matters. Each suit contains ten numbered cards and four court cards.
Treat these as symbolic categories in that reading tradition. A Cups card is not a scientific measure of affection, and a Pentacles card does not tell you how much money someone has.
Apply the themes to one relationship question
Suppose you are reflecting on how to spend a weekend together. Here are possible questions to explore through the four themes, rather than prescribed card meanings:
Cups: What would feel enjoyable or connecting? Swords: What needs to be said or decided? Wands: What are we enthusiastic about trying? Pentacles: What time, travel or budget details need attention?
You do not need a card from every suit to discuss those questions. They are a way to organize reflection, not requirements for a successful relationship.
Read the specific card as well
The suit does not make every card in it interchangeable. An Ace and a Two have different places in a deck's system. Read our Ace of Cups and Two of Pentacles pages. Consult the meanings used in your particular reading rather than stopping at the suit label.
Also check the spread position. “A practical detail to consider” is different from “a feeling to acknowledge,” even if the same card appears. Write your interpretation in a full sentence that refers to the question you asked.
What if one suit appears repeatedly?
You can notice the repetition and ask whether that theme offers a useful perspective. A reading with several Swords might prompt you to examine the questions and decisions you are considering. It does not prove that a relationship lacks love or that conflict is inevitable.
Read our Major Arcana vs Minor Arcana page for the broader deck structure. After interpreting a pattern, return to what you know outside the cards: what was said, what was agreed, and what remains uncertain. Those facts remain relevant whatever suits appear.
Explore your question in a personal reading
For a symbolic perspective on your connection with this person, you can ask a custom question in a Signature Video Reading: “What emotional, practical or communication themes could I reflect on with this person?” Koko personally records the reading, starting at $99 for 15+ minutes. Standard delivery is 7–10 days; optional 24-hour Express adds $49.
Read our guide to choosing a love reading. Readings are for entertainment and reflection. They do not establish another person’s thoughts or promise an outcome.