The 78 Tarot cards are divided into the 22 major arcana and the 56 minor arcana. To broadly outline the meaning of tarot cards, the major arcana illustrate the wider influences and energies in life, while the minor arcana generally relate to the more mundane happenings of daily life.
In English-speaking countries the Rider-Waite style of Tarot deck is most common, in which all of the cards are illustrated with pictorial scenes and images, while the older Tarot of Marseilles is still more popular in European countries.
The minor arcana cards are similar to playing cards, and are divided into four suits - typically Cups, Swords, Wands and Pentacles. In each suit there are a total of fourteen cards: ten cards numbered from Ace through to Ten, plus four Court Cards titled Page, Knight, Queen and King. Some decks may call the major arcana, suits or court cards by different names.
Each of the 78 cards has a different image to illustrate the meaning of the card. The images range across feelings, emotions, relationships, situations and people common to us all, using symbols and images to communicate the meaning to us. There are standard interpretations for the cards developed over time that can be memorized if you like, but these are by no means the only or best interpretations - your intuition may be enough to draw meaning from the images and tarot reading and apply it to life.
There are many books with traditional card interpretations, or with methods for divining your own intuitive meanings of the Tarot cards. Aeclectic has reviews of books for beginners, but if you need some instant help understanding your Tarot cards, read Thirteen's Tarot Card Meanings or Reversed Tarot Meanings, for new insights into each and every card.
Enjoy your journey with tarot cards.