Guide
Playing Card Meanings: Cartomancy with an Ordinary Deck
Von Seraphina
Cartomancy is fortune-telling with an ordinary deck of playing cards. It was popular across Europe long before tarot became common for divination, and it is still practised in many folk traditions.
There is no single official system. The meanings below follow a widely used English folk tradition. Remove the jokers and use the remaining 52 cards. Most readers read cards upright only.
Was jeder Rang bedeutet
Every rank takes on the colour of its suit.
- Ass: Anfänge und die reinste Form der Farbe.
- 2: Partnerschaft oder eine Wahl.
- 3: Wachstum und das Hinzukommen anderer Menschen.
- 4: Stabilität oder das Gefühl, eingesperrt zu sein.
- 5: Wandel und Herausforderung.
- 6: moving forward, harmony.
- 7: a test or a surprise.
- 8: movement and effort.
- 9: a wish card, near completion.
- 10: the full outcome of the suit.
- Jack: a young person, a messenger or news.
- Queen: a woman or a nurturing influence.
- King: a man or an authority figure.
Hearts: love, family, emotions
- Ace of Hearts
- MeaningNew love or a happy home
- 2 of Hearts
- MeaningEine starke Partnerschaft oder Verlobung
- Herz-Drei
- MeaningA celebration, but also choose carefully
- 4 of Hearts
- MeaningContentment, or emotional boredom
- 5 of Hearts
- MeaningJealousy or a change of heart
- 6 of Hearts
- MeaningAn old friend or a sweet memory returns
- 7 of Hearts
- MeaningBroken promises, unreliable feelings
- 8 of Hearts
- MeaningVisits, gatherings, invitations
- 9 of Hearts
- MeaningThe wish card: a wish granted
- 10 of Hearts
- MeaningGreat happiness, family joy
- Jack of Hearts
- MeaningEin enger Freund oder eine junge Liebe
- Queen of Hearts
- MeaningA kind, affectionate woman
- King of Hearts
- MeaningA warm-hearted, generous man
Diamonds: money, work, practical news
- Ace of Diamonds
- MeaningA letter, gift or money news
- 2 of Diamonds
- MeaningEine geschäftliche Partnerschaft oder Missbilligung, mit der man umgehen muss
- 3 of Diamonds
- MeaningLegal or official matters
- 4 of Diamonds
- MeaningA small inheritance or steady finances
- Karo-Fünf
- MeaningGeschäftlicher Erfolg, gut für Wohlstand
- 6 of Diamonds
- MeaningFrühe Heirat oder Geldsorgen, auf die man achten sollte
- 7 of Diamonds
- MeaningKlatsch oder ein Wagnis
- Karo-Acht
- MeaningTravel or a late-life relationship
- 9 of Diamonds
- MeaningEine überraschende Veränderung beim Geld
- Karo-Zehn
- MeaningA change of fortune, often travel
- Jack of Diamonds
- MeaningA messenger, or a person who can't be fully trusted
- Queen of Diamonds
- MeaningA sociable, flirtatious woman
- King of Diamonds
- MeaningA determined, sometimes stubborn man
Clubs: friendship, ambition, effort
- Kreuz-Ass
- MeaningWealth, fame or good news
- 2 of Clubs
- MeaningDisappointment or opposition
- 3 of Clubs
- MeaningA second marriage or a good partnership
- 4 of Clubs
- MeaningPossible misfortune, take care
- Kreuz-Fünf
- MeaningNew friends or a helpful ally
- Kreuz-Sechs
- MeaningFinancial help from a friend
- Kreuz-Sieben
- MeaningProsperity, if you avoid a rival
- Kreuz-Acht
- MeaningGreed or a quarrel over money
- 9 of Clubs
- MeaningStubbornness, but a beneficial meeting
- 10 of Clubs
- MeaningGood luck, unexpected money, travel
- Kreuz-Bube
- MeaningEin verlässlicher Freund
- Queen of Clubs
- MeaningA confident, capable woman
- King of Clubs
- MeaningEin treuer, ehrlicher Mann
Pik: Herausforderungen, Enden, Warnungen
- Ace of Spades
- MeaningAn important event, sometimes misfortune
- 2 of Spades
- MeaningTrennung oder eine schwere Entscheidung
- 3 of Spades
- MeaningUnfaithfulness or a parting
- 4 of Spades
- MeaningKrankheit oder Geldsorgen, Ruhe
- 5 of Spades
- MeaningObstacles that can be overcome
- 6 of Spades
- MeaningSlow improvement
- 7 of Spades
- MeaningLoss of a friend, sadness
- 8 of Spades
- MeaningDisappointment, be cautious
- 9 of Spades
- MeaningThe worst card: anxiety and bad luck
- 10 of Spades
- MeaningWorry, a heavy burden
- Jack of Spades
- MeaningA well-meaning but immature person
- Queen of Spades
- MeaningA widowed or independent woman
- Pik-König
- MeaningAn ambitious, powerful man
A simple three-card spread
- Shuffle while thinking of your question.
- Lay out three cards: past, present, what is coming.
- Achte auf die Farben. Viele Herzkarten deuten auf Gefühle hin; viele Pikkarten legen Vorsicht nahe.
- Read the cards together as one story rather than three separate answers.
Card readings are for reflection and tradition. Treat a 'warning' card as a prompt to take care, not a certainty.
Step-by-step how-to guides
- How to read tarot cards
- How to use angel oracle cards
- So liest du Spielkarten
- So verwendest du Kristalle in Zaubern
- So verwendest du Kräuter in der Hexerei
- The Dr. Moorne Egyptian Tarot deck and how to read it
- How to read dice · Dice meanings
- How to read tea leaves · Tea leaf symbols
- So benutzt du ein Pendel · Pendulum meanings
- Wie man einen Kerzenzauber wirkt · Candle color meanings
- How to make a spell jar · Spell jar recipes
- How to make a sigil · Sigillen-Methoden
- How to cleanse your home · Home cleansing methods
- How to set up an ancestor altar · Ancestor altar items
- How to open a sacred space · Werkzeuge für heilige Räume
- How to time spells with the moon · Bedeutungen der Mondphasen
- How to work with water and salt · Water and salt magic
- How to make a protection charm bag · Rezepte für Zauberbeutel
Weiter entdecken
See the tarot card meanings, angel oracle cards, playing card meanings, crystals for spells and herbs in witchcraft Leitfäden lesen Journal, or visit the shops for a reading or spell from our partner practitioners.