What the Knight of Cups Means for Love

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Learn what significance this tarot card holds for your love life as well as your career, health, and more

Co-authored by Stina Garbis and Dev Murphy, MA

Last Updated: December 20, 2023 Fact Checked

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• Love Life
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• General Meaning
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• Career
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• Finances
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• Health
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• Description & Symbolism
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• Video
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• Expert Interview

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The Knight of Cups is a charmer with strong intuition—a generally good card to draw in a tarot reading, whether your reading is focused on love or on other aspects of your life. We’ll walk you through exactly what it means to draw this card upright or reversed and what implications it could have for your love life, career, health, spiritual well-being, and more.

Things You Should Know

• In matters of love, the Knight of Cups signifies romance is headed your way! Whether you’re in a relationship or single, practice listening to your intuition to tell you what to do.
• Reversed, the Knight of Cups may be a warning that you can be too idealistic in love and other aspects of life. Listen to your heart—but don’t ignore what your head tells you.
• The Knight of Cups is depicted as a knight riding a horse while holding a cup. He isn’t aggressive or charging; rather, he is calm and peaceful.

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Section 1 of 6:

Knight of Cups Meaning for Love Life

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   Upright Whether you’re in a relationship or single and ready to mingle, the Knight of Cups is a good omen: it indicates love and devotion are around the corner. However, the Knight of Cups can be a bit of an idealist, and he has a tendency to fall in love with love. Be cautious entering new relationships or taking the next step with your current partner: make sure you’re seeing the other person (and yourself) clearly, and not through rose-colored glasses.

   • If you’re in a relationship: It may be tempting to throw yourself into your current relationship, especially during the honeymoon stage when everything is sparkly and new, but don’t be afraid to go slow and listen to your intuition as you move forward in the relationship.
   • If you’re single: Love is around the corner—and boy, how delicious it is! Enjoy the romance ahead, but be discerning and listen to your heart to figure out what you want in a relationship: when considering a new partner, ask yourself if it’s them you want, or the delight of new love.
   • If you asked a yes or no question, the Knight of Cups upright means "yes."
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   Reversed The reversed Knight of Cups signifies idealism turned to empty promises. He doesn’t follow through, and is prone to passive-aggressiveness and conflict avoidance. Maybe this describes you in your relationships, or someone you know (or will soon meet). Be on the lookout for this behavior in yourself and your partners, and address it head-on to avoid it getting out of control.

   • If you’re in a relationship: At the start of your relationship, you may have delighted in sweet nothings, but after the honeymoon phase has ended, you may find yourself rolling your eyes at the empty sentiments. Or perhaps you’re the one whispering the sweet nothings. In either case, it may be time to take a good long look at your relationship: is it real? or was it built on clouds?
   • If you’re single: You may be tempted to settle for the first love who charms you, but take caution with your heart. Listen to what it tells you, but give equal weight to your head, or you may realize down the road that you’ve built a relationship on a foundation of sand.
   • If you asked a yes or no question, the Knight of Cups reversed means "no."
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Section 2 of 6:

Knight of Cups Upright & Reversed Meaning

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   Upright The Knight of Cups is the most peaceful and least aggressive of all the Knights, but this doesn’t make him any less capable or any weaker. The Knight is typically a call to action—the Knight of Cups, then, is a sign you may be asked to take action in a way that makes use of your emotional intuition. The cups suit deals with emotional intuition and personal relationships, so if you draw this card, it’s a sign you’re being called to cultivate your intuition and learn to trust your instincts. Practice trusting your emotions over logic.

   • Drawing this card may mean you will soon meet someone who acts like the Knight of Cups, or that perhaps you yourself have similar attributes.
   • Keywords: Artistic, graceful, diplomatic, mediator, idealist, charming
   • Element: Water
   • Sun sign: Pisces
   • Planet: Neptune
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   Reversed Upside-down, the Knight of Cups card may indicate you rely too much on your heart and not enough on your head. This may result in jealousy, moodiness, or emotional overreactions. While the Knight card is usually a call to action, being too caught up in your emotions may cause you to become paralyzed, unable to make a decision for fear of bringing on emotional pain. Practice balancing emotions and logic: neither is superior, and both have their place.

   • Keywords: Moody, conflict-avoidant, disappointed, vane, tough times, meltdowns
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Section 3 of 6:

Knight of Cups Meaning for Career

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   Upright You’re a diplomat in the workplace, and it serves you well. You get along with everybody, and you resolve conflicts swiftly even with difficult coworkers. Your charming and friendly attitude makes a great impression on everyone—including those who may be able to help you climb the ranks or present you with promising career opportunities.

   • Tip: If you’re in a creative industry or a field in which you work with people, this card will serve you particularly well. Your emotional intuition and sensitivity mean you’re able to solve problems others give up on, and your innovative attitude makes you an asset to your superiors.
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   Reversed Upside-down, this card may signify you’re letting your emotions get the best of you at work. Even if you didn’t create a toxic work environment, your attitude may be contributing to it. Consider whether you can improve things for everyone by putting on a brave face and channeling your emotional sensitivity into cheerleading rather than meltdowns.

   • Tip: If your workplace is toxic and making it hard for you to gain control of your emotions, it may be time to find a new position, if you can. In stressful situations, it can be hard to hear past the fear-based part of you, but try to listen carefully to the wise, intuitive voice underneath. What is it telling you?
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Section 4 of 6:

Knight of Cups Meaning for Finances

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   Upright Thanks to your creativity and diplomacy, most conflicts are easily resolvable—including financial issues. If you’re struggling with money lately, you may need to put your innovative brain to good use. Try not to stress: you’re likely to succeed.

   • Tip: If you share finances with someone such as a spouse or roommate, employ your diplomatic skills to ease tensions caused by money. But be sure not to use your charming nature as a tool to avoid having a tough discussion: say what’s on your heart, and follow through on any promises you make.
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   Reversed You may be struggling financially due to reckless spending or investing—or, alternatively, you may not be making any financial progress out of fear of acting. Try not to act on fear or anxiety, and remember, impulsivity and intuition are not the same thing. Listen to your heart and pause before making any financial decisions.

   • Tip: If you’re in debt or struggling financially, it may be tempting to ignore the issue, but this will only make matters worse. Be gentle with yourself as you assess the extent of your financial concerns, but don’t let yourself off the hook. Tighten your budget as needed, and don’t be afraid to ask for help from friends or family if you need to.
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Section 5 of 6:

Knight of Cups Meaning for Health

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   Upright Breathe a sigh of relief: this card bodes well for your health. If you’ve been ill recently or dealing with chronic illness, the Knight of Cups indicates relief is in your future. A period of energy and vitality is coming your way.

   • Tip: Don’t rush your recovery: take your time and enjoy a restful, luxurious transition into good health. Recovery isn’t instantaneous, and moving too fast may make your health worse.
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   2
   Reversed Upside-down, this card suggests your mental and/or physical health may suffer due to stress. It’s also possible that poor decision-making may lead to drug or alcohol abuse. It’s time to take charge of your health and address it head-on: nobody is in complete control of their health, but that doesn’t mean you need to self-destruct.

   • Tip: If you’ve brought on poor health due to your own actions, you may experience acute shame in asking for help from friends or family or even in seeing a doctor or therapist, but go easy on yourself. Nobody does life alone.
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Section 6 of 6:

Knight of Cups Description & Symbolism

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   This card depicts a knight riding a horse and holding a cup. He’s riding calmly, not aggressively as if into battle, like the Knight of Swords or Wands. Because the cups suit deals with emotions, the Knight of Cups is portrayed as pensive and peaceful.

   • The horse is often depicted as white, a color typically associated with purity and spiritual light.
   • Many decks feature a river or other body of water on this card. Water is the element associated with the cups suit, as it represents emotional fluidity and intuition.

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