Five of Cups Tarot Card Meaning: Upright, Reversed & Love

Five of Cups Tarot Card Meaning

A cloaked figure stands with bowed head, staring at three spilled cups on the ground. Behind them, unnoticed, two cups remain standing — still full, still offering something worth holding onto. When the Five of Cups appears in your reading, grief has entered the conversation. Something has been lost, and the pain of that loss feels all-consuming.

This is the tarot's card of mourning, regret, and the difficult process of accepting that some things cannot be undone. It does not pretend that everything is fine. But hidden within its sorrow is a quiet truth: not everything is lost.

Quick Reference

Upright Meaning

The Five of Cups upright acknowledges that you are hurting. A loss has occurred — perhaps a breakup, a betrayal, a failed project, a death, or simply the end of something you valued deeply. The pain is real, and this card does not ask you to minimize it or rush through it. Grief deserves its time.

However, the Five of Cups also carries a gentle warning about getting stuck in sorrow. The figure in the card is so fixated on the three spilled cups that they cannot see the two that remain upright behind them. This is the human tendency to focus on what went wrong at the expense of what is still right. The card does not blame you for this — it simply invites you to eventually turn around.

There is a bridge in the background of this card, leading to a safe place on the other side. It represents the path forward. You do not have to cross it today. But knowing it is there can bring a small measure of comfort. The Five of Cups says: feel your feelings fully, then — when you are ready — look up and see what remains.

Reversed Meaning

The Five of Cups reversed is one of the most healing cards in the entire deck. It signals that you are beginning to release your grip on past pain. The grieving process is not finished, but you are turning a corner. You are starting to look at the two standing cups instead of the three that spilled.

This reversal often coincides with moments of acceptance and forgiveness — forgiving others, forgiving yourself, forgiving life for being imperfect. You may feel lighter than you have in weeks or months. Old wounds are closing. The reversed Five of Cups does not erase what happened, but it tells you that you are no longer defined by it. Recovery is not linear, and there will still be difficult days. But the worst of the storm has passed.

In Love & Relationships

If you are single: The Five of Cups often appears when you are still carrying the weight of a past relationship. A breakup, a rejection, or an unrequited love is preventing you from opening your heart to new possibilities. The card gently asks whether your loyalty to old pain is protecting you or imprisoning you. It is okay to grieve what did not work out. But at some point, you will need to release that story to make room for a new one.

If you are in a relationship: Something has caused deep disappointment within your partnership. Perhaps trust was broken, expectations were shattered, or a painful event created distance between you. The Five of Cups does not automatically signal a breakup — but it does indicate that unprocessed grief is affecting the relationship. Both partners need to acknowledge the hurt honestly before healing can begin. Pretending the spilled cups do not exist will only create resentment over time.

In Career & Finances

In career readings, the Five of Cups reflects professional disappointment. A project may have failed, a promotion fell through, or a job loss has shaken your confidence. You may be replaying what went wrong, wondering if you could have done things differently. While reflection has value, the card warns against letting regret paralyze you. The skills, experience, and relationships you still have are the two standing cups. They have not disappeared.

Financially, this card can indicate a loss — a bad investment, unexpected expenses, or income that dried up. The pain of financial setback is valid, but the Five of Cups encourages you to take stock of what remains rather than spiraling into worst-case scenarios. You likely have more resources than you think. Focus on stabilizing what you have before trying to recover what was lost.

As Advice

Allow yourself to grieve, but do not build a home in your grief. The Five of Cups advises you to honor your pain without letting it define your future. Cry if you need to. Talk to someone you trust. Write down everything you feel. Then, when the intensity begins to soften, deliberately shift your attention to what is still good in your life. This is not toxic positivity — it is survival. The two standing cups are real. The bridge is real. And you are stronger than you think. When you are ready, turn around.

Card Combinations

• Five of Cups + The Sun: Joy returns after a period of deep sadness. The pain was not permanent, even though it felt that way.
• Five of Cups + Six of Cups: Healing comes through reconnecting with your past in a positive way — childhood memories, old friends, or revisiting places that once brought comfort.
• Five of Cups + Death: A major ending triggers grief, but transformation follows. What feels like destruction is actually clearing space for something new.

Explore More

Ready to deepen your tarot journey? Check out our complete list of all 78 tarot card meanings or start from the beginning with our tarot for beginners complete guide.