Nine of Cups
Nine of CupsMinor ArcanaSuit of Cups
- Element
- Water
- Astrology
- Jupiter in Pisces
- Numerology
- Nine: culmination and the fullness of the suit
- Yes or no
- Yes
Upright
- contentment
- satisfaction
- wishes fulfilled
- gratitude
- pleasure
Reversed
- smugness
- overindulgence
- dissatisfaction
- hollow success
- greed
The wish come true. The Nine of Cups is satisfaction, comfort and the pleasure of having what you wanted.
On the card
A well-fed man in a red hat and richly patterned tunic sits on a wooden bench with his arms folded and a satisfied smile. Behind him, nine golden cups are arranged in a neat arc on a high curved shelf draped in blue. He is not drinking from any of them; he is simply enjoying the fact that they are his. The scene is one of plenty, contentment and, perhaps, a hint of complacency.
Upright
General
You have what you wished for, or you are about to. Traditionally called the wish card, the Nine of Cups brings emotional satisfaction, material comfort and the pleasure of a goal achieved. Enjoy it fully; gratitude is the correct response to good fortune.
Love & relationships
A relationship that makes you genuinely happy, a wish about love granted, or a period of contentment and sensual pleasure. Single people feel good in their own company and attract accordingly.
Career & money
Achievement, recognition and financial comfort. A goal is reached and the rewards are real. Spend some of it on enjoyment; that is what it was for.
Reversed
General
The cups are full but something is missing. Reversed, the Nine of Cups describes pleasure that has become excess, success that feels hollow, or a smugness that alienates others. It can also mean a wish granted in a form that does not satisfy, or one that has not come true and leaves you feeling short-changed.
Love & relationships
A relationship that looks good from outside but feels empty inside, or an appetite for pleasure that has replaced actual intimacy.
Career & money
Chasing money or status without satisfaction, overspending on comforts, or arrogance that costs you goodwill. Check what you actually want the success for.
Advice
Savour what you have earned, and share some of it. Satisfaction that turns into smugness stops being satisfying.