The Fool Tarot Card Meaning: Upright, Reversed and in Love
Nov 7, 2026 · The Editors
The Fool tarot card meaning: what the card shows, its upright and reversed meanings, the Fool in love, relationships and career, yes or no, and its place at the start of the Major Arcana.
The Fool is card 0 of the Major Arcana — the card before the first card, standing outside the sequence. It is the card of beginnings, leaps of faith and starting out with nothing but optimism.
What the card shows
In Pamela Colman Smith's 1909 design, the version most decks follow:
- A young traveller stepping towards the edge of a cliff, face turned to the sky.
- A small bag tied to a staff over the shoulder — everything they need, and nothing more.
- A white rose in one hand: purity and innocence.
- A small white dog at their heels, either warning them or urging them on.
- A bright sun behind, and mountains in the distance — challenges still ahead.
The Fool is not stupid. They are free: unburdened by fear, experience or the expectations of others.
Upright meaning
- New beginnings — a journey, a job, a relationship, a new chapter.
- Spontaneity and faith — saying yes before you know how it will turn out.
- Innocence and openness.
- Freedom from the past and from other people's rules.
Reversed meaning
- Recklessness — the leap made without looking.
- Holding back — fear stopping a beginning that should happen.
- Naivety — being taken advantage of.
- Foolishness in the ordinary sense.
The Fool in love and relationships
- Upright: a new romance, or new energy in an existing one — fun, adventure and not overthinking it. For a single person, a sign to say yes.
- Reversed: someone not ready to commit, or a relationship moving too fast without care.
The Fool in career and money
- Upright: a new job, a venture, a career change. Take the chance.
- Reversed: an impulsive decision with money. Check the details before you jump.
The Fool as yes or no
Most readers read the upright Fool as yes — especially for anything new. Reversed, it is usually not yet.
The Fool's journey
Because the Fool is numbered zero, many readers see the 21 cards that follow as the Fool's journey: the traveller meets the Magician, the High Priestess, the Empress and the rest, learning from each, until reaching the World. Every reading that turns up the Fool is a reminder that the journey is starting again.
The Fool and the joker
The Fool is often called the ancestor of the joker in a deck of playing cards. It is not quite true — the joker came from a 19th-century American card game — but the two share a meaning: the wild card outside the ranks. Joker card meaning.
For all 78 cards, see our guide to tarot card meanings.
