King of Cups
Minor Arcana · Suit of Cups
- emotional balance
- diplomacy
- calm
- wisdom
- manipulation
- moodiness
- coldness
- bottled-up feelings
In the picture
A king sits on a stone throne floating on a rough sea, holding a cup and a sceptre. A fish leaps from the water on one side and a ship sails on the other.
Upright meaning
The King of Cups stays calm on choppy water. He has control of his emotions without shutting them out, and uses that steadiness to support others. The card favours diplomacy and mature understanding.
Reversed meaning
Reversed, the calm cracks or turns cold. It can point to suppressed feelings, manipulation or moodiness. Balance doesn't mean pretending not to feel.
About the suit of Cups
Cups are the suit of water: feelings, relationships, love and intuition. Cups cards tend to describe how you feel about something and how you connect with other people. The four court cards of each suit (Page, Knight, Queen and King) can stand for people in your life, or for ways of handling a situation: the curious beginner, the person of action, the one who understands it from the inside, and the one in charge.
