Alternative womb and fertility symbol, especially if filled with liquid (See also: Milk, Juice, Water, Wine).
Arthurian and Druidical lore identify this emblem as the grail, the cup that signifies humankind’s connection with nature and each other.
Christian: The sacredness of life and the quality of forgiveness (the cup of Christ’s blood). In this case, do you drink freely of what’s offered you, or pour it away?
Unity. In Gypsy, pagan, and Hebrew marriage and courtship rites, people drinking from one cup link their destinies and become as one.
Refusing: Wishing to avert a personal trial that is really unavoidable (note the story of Christ in the garden of Gethsemane). Alternatively, rejecting an opportunity for friendship or camaraderie because of suspicious motivations.
In Eastern philosophy, a cup is shaped by what it contains. What metaphorical beverages do you incorporate into yourself by drinking of this cup? [1]