| Tea Leaf Symbols and their Meanings |
| All the symbols were taken from catscave.com |
| Abbey: future ease and freedom from worry Acorn: Men, youth, improvement in health, continued health and strength Airplane: Travel, new projects Anchor: Voyage, rest, a lucky sign, Success in business and love Angel: good news, especially good fortune in love Apes: secret enemies Apples: long life, gain by commerce Apple Tree: change for the better arch, a journey abroad Arrow: a disagreeable letter from the arrow's direction, misfortune overcome by patience; or a legacy axe, difficulties overcome, news Badger: long life and prosperity as a bachelor Basket: Gift, an addition to the family Baby: New interests Bat: fruitless journeys or tasks Bear: a long period of travel Beasts: other then those mentioned, foretell misfortune Bees, honey comb, hive: Industry, frugalness, hard work Bell: Celebrations, marriage (Bells ring in the new but also ring out the old. The bell may be tolling hard times as well.) Bird: Psychic powers, movement, motion, good luck, a lucky sign; good news if flying, a fortunate journey Boat: Discoveries, a friend will visit Book: Wisdom Bouquet: one of the luckiest of symbols, a happy marriage Bridge: a favorable journey Broom: Cleanliness, feminity, domesticity, purification, healing, warfare with negativity Building: a removal Bull: slander by an enemy Bush: an invitation into society Butterfly: Frivolous things, non-essentials, success and pleasure Cage, prison bars: restriction, isolation, solitude Camel: a burden to be patiently borne Cannon: good fortune Car: approaching wealth, visits from friends Cart: fluctuations of fortune Castle: unexpected fortune or legacy Cat: Wisdom, intellectualism, aloofness, difficulties caused by treachery Cathedral: great prosperity Cattle: prosperity Cauldron: Transformation, great change, women, new beginnings, endings Chain: an early marriage; if broken, trouble in store Chair: an addition to the family Church: a legacy Circles: money or presents Clock: Death, time in any manifestation, change Clouds: Headaches, mental problems, the mind, thoughts, a serious trouble; if surrounded by dots financial success Clover: a very lucky sign; happiness and prosperity Coffin: Surprise its not death! A long and boring but not serious illness Comet: misfortune and trouble Compass: a sign of traveling as a profession Cow: Money or a prosperous sign Cradle: Strangers Crescent: Freshness, newness, mother, women Cornucopia: Fertility, protection, prosperity, animals, containment Cross: The forces of nature, the elements, great energies at work, a sign of trouble, delay or even death Crown: Success and honor Crown and Cross: good fortune resulting from death Dagger: favors from friends Deer: quarrels, disputes; failure in trade Distaff: Creativity, change, sexuality, transformation Dog: Love, fidelity, faithful friends Donkey: a legacy long awaited Dove: a lucky symbol; progress in prosperity and affection Dragon: a great and sudden change Duck: Wealth, plenty Eagle: honour and riches through change of residence Egg: Increase, fertility, luck Elephant: a lucky sign; good health Eye: Introspection, inspection, evaluation Falcon: a persistent enemy Ferret: active enemies Fish: Sexuality, riches, lucky speculation, good news from abroad; surrounded by dots, Immigration Flag: danger from wounds inflicted by an enemy Flame, fire: Purification, change, the will, domination, driving forces Flower: good fortune, success, happy marriage Fox: treachery by a trusted friend Frog: success in love and commerce Gallows: a sign of good luck Glove: Luck, protection Goat: a sign of enemies, and misfortune to a sailor Goose: happiness; a successful venture Grasshopper: a great friend will become a soldier Greyhound: good fortune by strenuous exertion Gun, pistol, rifle: Discord, disaster, slander Hammer: triumph over adversity Hare: a sign of long journey or return of absent friend Harp: marriage, success in love Hat: Rival, honors, success in life Hawk: an enemy Heart: Love, pleasures to come Heavenly Bodies signifies happiness and success Hen: increase of riches or addition to the family Horns: Fertility, godliness, spirituality, forces of nature Horse: Strength, travel, grave, desires fulfilled through a prosperous journey Horseshoe: Luck, protection, travel, a lucky journey or success in marriage Hour glass: Caution, imminent peril House: Success Human Figures: judged by what they appear to be doing Hummingbird: Communication, visitors Interrogation (mark of), doubt or disappointment Ivy: honour and happiness through faithful friends Jackal: a mischief maker of no account Jug: good health Kangaroo: a rival in business or love Kettle: death Key: Mysteries, enlightenment, security, prosperity, fertility, money, increasing trade, a good husband or wife Kite: a sign of lengthy travel leading to honour and dignity Knife: a warning of disasters through quarrels and enmity Knot: Manifestation, hindrance, marriage, binding, restriction Ladder: Turmoil, sun, ascent, descent, evolution, initiation, a sign of travel Leopard: a sign of immigration and subsequent success Letters: signifies news Lily: on top of cup, health and happiness, bottom, anger, strife Lines: indicate journeys and their directions Lion: Influence, royalty, power, strength, ferocity, greatness through powerful friends Lock: Obstacles, protection, safety, security Man: a visitor arriving Mermaid: misfortune, especially to seafaring persons Mirror: Reversal, moon, women, love, reflection, beauty, knowledge, transference, communication Monkey: deception in love Moon: (as a crescent), prosperity and fortune Mountain: Journeys, hindrances, powerful friends; many mountains, powerful enemies Mouse: Theft, danger of poverty through death or swindling Mushroom: Shelter, food, sudden separation of lovers after a quarrel Nail: Pain, anguish Numbers: very lucky, long life, good health, happy marriage Oblong figures: family or business squabbles Owl: Wisdom, an evil omen, indicative of sickness, poverty, disgrace Palm tree: good luck, children to a wife, marriage to a maid Parrot: Brashness, color, scandal, a sign of emigration for a lengthy period Peacock: Luxury, splendor, vanity, success and acquisition of property; a happy marriage Pear: great wealth and improved social position Pheasant: a legacy Pig: good and bad luck mixed Pigeons: important news if flying, if not, domestic bliss Pineapple: Hospitality, easy life Pine cones: Food, sustenance, winter Pine tree: continuos happiness Pistol: disaster Purse: Gain, money Rabbit: fair success in a city or large town Rat: treacherous servants, losses through enemies Raven: death for the aged, divorce, failure in business Razor: lovers quarrel and separation Reptile: Quarrels Rider: good news from oversees regarding finances Rifle: a sign of discord and strife Ring: Marriage, containment, eternity; if near clouds an unhappy marriage Rose: Love, lost love, richness of life, the past, a lucky sign denoting good fortune and happiness Salt: Purity, purification, money, stability, foundation, cleansing, healing Saw: trouble brought about by strangers Scales: Balance, justice, lawsuit Scissors: Quarrels, separations, illness, separation of lovers Serpents: spiteful enemies, bad luck, illness Shark: danger of death Sheep: success, prosperity Shell: Creativity good luck, money, prosperity, emotional stability Ship: Increase, travel, news, successful journey Skull & Crossbones: Death, resurrection, comfort, consolement Snake: Wisdom, eternity, masculinity, a man, secrecy, knowledge, or a bad omen. Great caution should be exercised Spider: Very good fortune, cunning, secrecy, hidden things, a sign of money coming Spoon: Luck Squares: comfort and peace Star: Excellent luck, divine protection, fortune, wealth, high honors, respectability, success, surrounded by dots foretells great fortune Straight Line: a very pleasant journey Straight Lines denote peace, happiness and long life Swallow: a journey with a pleasant ending Swan: Good luck, a lover, a happy marriage Sword: Life, death, conflicts, arguments, negativity, disputes, quarrels between lovers Sword (broken): Victory over an enemy Timber: Logs of timber indicate business success Toad: deceit and unexpected enemies Tree: Good luck, forces of nature, age, stability, power, prosperity, and happiness Triangle: One point up-good luck and unexpected legacies, one point down-bad luck Turtle: Sluggishness, fertility, retreat, stagnation Twisted Figures: disturbances and vexation Umbrella: annoyance and trouble Unicorn: scandal Vulture: bitter foes Wagon: a sign of approaching poverty Wavy Lines: Denotes losses and vexation Well: Spirituality, inspiration, Mother Nature, love Wheel: Seasons, reincarnation, completion, endings, forever, an inheritance about to come Windmill: success in enterprise Wolf: beware of jealous intrigues Woman: pleasure and happiness, several women indicates scandal Wood: a speedy marriage Worms: indicate secret foes, pleasure and happiness Yew Tree: death of an aged person leaving his legacy to you Zebra: travel and adventure in foreign lands Although included in the above lists, there are certain figures and symbols which are a common occurrences and bear such definite interpretation that it is advisable to refer to them here in detail. * Invariably signs of approaching good fortune: triangles, stars, clover leaves, anchors, trees, garlands and flowers, bridges or arches, and crowns. * Invariably signs of threatened ill luck: coins, clouds, crosses, serpents, rats and mice, some wild beasts, hourglasses, umbrellas, church steeples, swords, guns, ravens, owls, and monkeys are all ominous symbols. |