Three of Cups Tarot Card Meaning

Three of Cups Keywords

Celebration(s), friendship, socializing, gossip, event(s), support, unity, togetherness

Three of Cups Numerology

3

Three of Cups Astrology Zodiac

Water: Cancer 

Three of Cups Tarot Suit

Minor Arcana, Suit of Cups

Journal Prompts for Three of Cups Tarot Card

– Who do I feel the most comfortable with and as though I can really be my true self with? Why?

– What can I celebrate today? What am I celebrating today?

Three of Cups Tarot Card Meaning

Three maidens are seen, each holding a chalice of their own up in the air, at the ready to toast one another (or perhaps they already have). There is a maiden wearing long red robes and pale yellow/gold shoes; who has her back turned toward the viewer. While the two maidens facing her appear happy to see her. Perhaps she has just returned from an outing.

They wear wreaths on their heads, she does not. We cannot see the feet of the maiden on the left, wearing a white gown; nor can you see her other arm. The third maiden joining in on the right, wears an orange smock over her white gown. Only one of her pale blue shoes is showing; in her other hand, she holds a harvest of grapes. 

The trio are surrounded by a background of clear blue skies. A harvest of what appears to be flowers, mixed fruit and vegetables lay on the ground at their feet. In the right hand corner is a small pumpkin with its vines and leaves still attached.

*Based on the Rider Waite Tarot Deck

Three of Cups Upright

Celebratory energies are felt and good times are usually in order when the Three of Cups appears. You are in a position to feel good. To celebrate and perhaps even be celebrated.

As an affirmative energy, this card would be a ‘yes’, in reference to a yes or no type of question in your tarot reading. This energy evokes closeness, compassion, joy and heartfelt friendship in a supportive light. That being said, if your question involves others this would indicate that you will get along well and likely have a very nice time together. This would be a time of joining together, generally to socialize and/or get together for an event of some kind.

This energy encourages you to get out and connect with friends and/or loved ones whom you enjoy spending time with. The social nature of this card might serve as a reminder that you could stand to open up and/or you are ready to open up; especially if you’ve been keeping to yourself. 

When the upright Three of Cups is revealed, it generally symbolizes friendships with individuals who are kindred spirits or soulmates. There is a sense of belonging with this energy and you can feel at ease knowing that you are automatically accepted as you are. Secrets can be shared and kept. Usually there is some form of conversation or catching up going on. The Three of Cups could also be an indication of friends with a connection that is potentially evolving and deepening in their bond(s). There may even be situations where a friendship is possibly developing into a romantic one. 

In matters of love, this card would signal a time of flow, loving exchanges and jovial communications in a tarot card reading. The Three of Cups in this case may reflect upon the closeness of your partnership. It can highlight how well the two of you are able to flow with each other. This card could even mean that your partner is also your best friend, and vice versa. If there have been disagreements or misunderstandings, this would signal a positive and rather immediate turn around. 

Money and finances should experience an upswing with the Three of Cups present. With the air of celebration in mind, you will likely see an increase, win and/or gain of some kind. Remember though that chalices are about emotions and align with the element of water. This means that when it comes to physical successes or wins, the Three of Cups is likely to symbolize a more short term or short lived situation. So while you have every reason to celebrate and feel good, keep your long term goals in mind.

Where career matters are concerned, the Three of Cups upright bodes well regarding interpersonal relations within the workspace and/or among colleagues, etc. You are probably going to experience some form of good news around your work. There may be a number of reasons for celebration in your professional sphere as well. There also may be small announcements that have nothing to do with the actual job but may relate to a co-worker’s personal life.

Three of Cups Reversed

The reversed Three of Cups would indicate that you (and/or another person involved) may lack interest and/or sincerity when it comes to socializing, bonding and/or spending time with friends, loved ones, etc. You may feel more like being on your own right now. Whatever your reasons, use this time to clear your energy and recenter yourself.

You are more than likely going to want to be alone instead of attending an event, outing, etc. You may even want to temporarily remove yourself from certain social groups, environments, energies, etc. For example, if you regularly attend a group function, you may want to sit this one out. That being said, when the Three of Cups reversed appears during a “yes or no” question, your answer is no. This is not necessarily a long term energy though, so just work with this as a more temporary vibe.

It is possible that something you had hoped or anticipated going well may end up falling through or failing. You may also end up feeling unfulfilled with a situation that you thought would go well. Try not to be too hard on yourself in the event that something does not turn out as planned. 

There could be a withdrawal, even a disconnect, from what once may have been a very close friendship or circle of friends. Years-long friendships may start to drift apart as well when the Three of Cups appears reversed. Even though these kinds of moments are never easy to face, just know that depending on the surrounding cards (along with what you and everyone involved wants) there may be a way to heal things and/or turn the situation around.

Considering the social aspect of the Three of Cups, when this card is reversed it can be an indication of gossip and/or shady behavior. People may be speaking about you behind your back or even sullying your reputation. Alternately, you may be getting caught up in gossip yourself. Be mindful to step back and assess your own interactions. 

Depending on the surrounding cards and your situation, the reversed Three of Cups could also indicate a third-party interference of some kind. This energy could represent your partner’s best friend or co-worker engaging them in gossipy conversation that creates a wedge between the two of you. It could also indicate the possibility that your partner is being disloyal, unfaithful and/or seeing someone else behind your back.

When it comes to finances, be mindful of overspending and/or over giving. You could also end up purchasing something or spending money and ending up feeling unfulfilled. It could be that you simply want to give a nice gift, which is thoughtful, but just be mindful not to go beyond your means. 

If your question involves your career, this energy would be an indication that the energy may be low. There may even be some discord and/or tensions within the work environment. It is also possible that relations in the workplace are becoming too lackadaisical, relaxed, unfocused, etc. There may be a need to uplift the energy or create more structure if so.