Water Signs, Explained: Here’s What It Means to Be a Cancer, Scorpio, or Pisces
Channing Smith
In astrology there are four elements that correspond to the 12 zodiac signs: water, earth, fire, and air. Each element brings its own unique energy and traits to the table, and water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) are the feelers of the zodiac. Known for their deep sensitivity, empathy, and connection to the unseen forces that shape the world, they’re dreamers, healers, and nurturers. Water signs channel emotions with a natural grace that can be captivating and complex.
Like the element of water, they tend to absorb the energy of the environment around them. So it’s very important for water signs to be surrounded by the right people and to spend their time doing work they feel passionately about. They require clarity in their mind, body, and spirit in order to keep swimming with the stream of life. Imagine a fish trying to make its way through a swampy, murky body of water versus a crystal-clear lake. That’s what it’s like for water signs when they’re not keeping proper habits or company.
Water signs seek depth and emotional fulfillment, but the way they portray their emotions may not always make sense to the other elements. Water signs are known to get their wires crossed with their emotions (i.e., crying when they’re angry, overwhelmed when they’re happy). It’s their karmic life lesson to allow their full spectrum of emotions to be expressed in a way that accurately reflects how they feel inside.
Also like water, these signs have a habit of seeping into the people they are closest with. They can come off as clingy or overly attached, but these loving creatures just want to feel safe and secure within their relationships. They would move mountains for the people they care about and do best within friendships and romantic relationships where that love and attention is reciprocated. They enjoy cuddles, handwritten letters, home-cooked meals, and asking deep questions.
Although other signs of the zodiac may not consider them rational, water signs are cautious and seek comfort. They aren’t going to throw all caution to the wind as they move through life. These sensitive beings will, however, lead with their heart and make many big life decisions with intuition before logic. These folks forge ahead with something that can’t be taught in a textbook.
Here’s a deep dive into the water sun signs, their personalities, compatibility, struggles, and how they embrace their watery nature.
What are the zodiac sign elements?
Before we learn more about water signs, we first have to understand the zodiac chart as a whole. In astrology, these are the four elemental families:
Water signs: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
Fire signs: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
Earth signs: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
Air signs: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Unlike the other elements, water signs don’t just feel—they experience life on a deeper, almost mystical level. Their connections to others, their environment, and their own inner worlds runs far below the surface. But, like water itself, they can be tricky to navigate.
It’s Cosmic
They’re a little bit, well, fiery.
It’s Cosmic
Need to get something done? Call an earth sign.
It’s Cosmic
They’re what we call a breath of fresh air.
What are the water signs, and what’s the difference between them?
Water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) rule the realm of emotions, intuition, and the subconscious. They’re the most emotionally in-tune of the zodiac signs—able to sense changes in mood, motivations, and hidden meanings in a way that others can’t. They possess an innate ability to connect with others on a soul level, but this also means they’re often the most vulnerable to other people’s emotional currents. Each of these signs have a unique quality, but they all share a connection to their feelings, intuition, and the ebb and flow of life’s changing tides.
Cancer
Born: June 22–July 22
Ruling Planet: The Moon
Symbol: The Crab
Famous Cancers: Princess Diana, Tom Hanks, Selena Gomez, Will Ferrell
Personality Traits: Compassionate, protective, intuitive
Least Compatible With: Aries, Libra
Cancer is the quintessential water sign—deep, feeling, and fiercely protective. Cardinal water energy makes these folks the leaders of the emotional realm. They’re the first to admit when they’re overwhelmed, overjoyed, or overstimulated.
Governed by the moon—our guidepost of emotion, cycles, and the subconscious—they’re ruled by their feelings. And like the tide, Cancer’s moods ebb and flow, but they instinctively care for the people around them with a tenderness that’s unmatched. They’re intuitive and empathetic, able to sense the emotional undercurrents of any situation and respond with a nurturing energy that makes them excellent caregivers and listeners. However, Cancers are also guarded and only allow in those who prove they’re trustworthy.
Represented by the crab, their outer shell is in complete opposition to their soft and gooey inner self. They’re nurturing and love to burrow deeper into the thoughts, interests, and qualities of the people they love.
Cancer is the natural ruler of the fourth house of family, home, emotions, motherly instincts, and children. They’re devoted to healing and helping those around them but do best when they prioritize self-care as a nonnegotiable.
Their emotional depth can also lead to vulnerability. Cancer often wears its heart on its sleeve, making it susceptible to emotional wounds; they’ll retreat into their shells if they feel threatened. Their protective nature can sometimes make them overbearing, especially when they feel they need to shield their loved ones from harm. Cancer needs to find a balance between protecting others and taking care of their own emotional needs. They may also struggle with letting go of past hurts and trusting others.
Scorpio
Born: October 23–November 21
Ruling Planet: Pluto (and Mars)
Symbol: The Scorpion
Famous Scorpios: Katy Perry, Ryan Gosling, Drake, Penn Badgley, Pete Davidson
Personality Traits: Passionate, determined, magnetic, secretive
Least Compatible With: Aquarius, Leo
Being a fixed water sign makes these folks stubborn in their feelings and emotions. They’re hard to sway once they feel scorned or disrespected, just as it’s hard to pull them apart from something (or someone) they’re passionate about. They’re less flexible than other water signs, which makes them the hardest to pin down, and they can come off as secretive and mysterious to outsiders.
Represented by the scorpion, Scorpios have no problem cutting off people they feel have wronged them and will go to the ends of the earth to inflict inner turmoil on people who cross their boundaries. They are, however, devoted to the people they care about.
Scorpio is the most intense of the water signs, and this manifests in both their emotions and their drive. Ruled by both Mars (the planet of action) and Pluto (the planet of transformation), Scorpios have an undeniable magnetism. They possess a deep well of emotional power and often seem to operate on a different level than others, with an ability to understand the darker, more hidden aspects of life. Scorpios are passionate about everything they do—love, work, friendship—and approach relationships with an intensity that can be overwhelming or incredibly rewarding, depending on how their energy is channeled. While they’re often seen as secretive, that’s more about protection than mistrust. Scorpios guard their deepest emotions carefully, only revealing their true selves to those they trust.
Scorpio is the natural ruler of the eighth house of sex, intimacy, other people’s money, inheritances, and joint ventures. Some Scorpio traits include being ready and willing to become one with the right partners, romantic and business alike. Some may even do best mixing love and work with their chosen partner(s).
Scorpio’s greatest challenge lies in trusting others. Their intense emotional nature means they can hold grudges and struggle with forgiveness. They also need to find ways to channel their intensity in healthy, constructive ways, as they can become obsessive or power-hungry if not grounded.
Pisces
Born: February 19–March 20
Ruling Planet: Neptune
Symbol: The Fish
Famous Pisces: Rihanna, Drew Barrymore, Justin Bieber, Simone Biles, Olivia Rodrigo
Personality Traits: Compassionate, intuitive, artistic, dreamy
Least Compatible With: Gemini, Sagittarius
Mutable water energy makes Pisces the most mystical and dreamy of the water signs, with an innate connection to the spiritual and artistic realms. Pisces’ traits include being wise, emotional, and so deeply sensitive it borders on psychic in their approach to life and love.
Ruled by Neptune, the planet of dreams and illusion, Pisces is known for its vivid imagination and empathy. They’re the most selfless of the water signs, often putting others’ needs before their own and offering unconditional love and support.
While their emotional depth is a strength, it can also lead to confusion. Pisces may struggle with boundaries, as they easily absorb the energy of those around them until it leaves them feeling drained or lost. They’re the ultimate romantics and believe in the power of love and dreams to heal and transform.
Pisces is the natural ruler of the 12th house of endings, healing, spirituality, the afterlife, and the subconscious. They live within a different dimension of reality than most, and it’s not uncommon for them to take up careers in which they can help, heal, or guide others into new ways of being or thinking. They’re great teachers, especially if they’re able to break down their own bad habits in pursuit of becoming better for the betterment of society as a whole.
This astrological sign can have a hard time with boundaries and may find themselves sacrificing too much for others. They need to learn to protect their energy and be more discerning about who they allow into their inner world.
Who are water signs compatible with?
Water signs tend to connect best and will naturally gravitate toward each other. Water sign pairings will form deep emotional bonds that transcend surface-level interaction. However, water feeds the earth’s fertile soil, which is why water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) are a great match for earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) as well. The earth signs provide the grounding and balance needed to stabilize a water sign’s intense emotional flow.
Cancer
Virgo: These two make each other feel right at home. Their physical, emotional, and mental compatibility is all there—which makes this pairing seem too good to be true at the beginning. A Virgo and Cancer pairing has the potential to last a lifetime, so long as they’re both open and honest with each other. (Trust is a nonnegotiable for both Cancer and Virgo.) Virgo provides the stability Cancer craves while appreciating their caring nature.
Scorpio: Cancer’s tender nature balances Scorpio’s intensity to create a deeply transformative connection. Scorpio feels safe in Cancer’s nurturing presence, which makes this connection deeply loyal and loving.
Taurus: Taurus and Cancer are a balanced, grounded duo. These two can take their lives to new heights by choosing to be together. There’s no better feeling for them than allowing each other to rest and receive all of the pleasures and comforts that life has to offer. These two like to cuddle, nurture, and care for each other without ever feeling like they need to play tit for tat within the relationship. On the contrary, they both feel fueled by giving back to each other.
Pisces: The dynamic duo, Cancer and Pisces are cut from the same energetic cloth. It’s hard to pull these two apart once they’ve found their way to each other. A Pisces’ romantic and poetic charm gets the tender, loving heart of a Cancer to unfold. Making their way down the aisle is a piece of cake, but they’d be just as happy going off the grid with each other and creating their own dreamy reality too.
Scorpio
Taurus: Opposites can attract, and Taurus and Scorpio are proof. Each one shows up with the level of depth, devotion, and loyalty that the other craves. Without a solid foundation and essentially proving themselves to each other, things could become tumultuous. But if they can put their pride aside and explore the intensity they both so desperately desire, this can be a match made in heaven.
Virgo: It’s said that Hades and Persephone represent the love between a Scorpio and a Virgo. If you believe in soulmates and the journey of the same soul splitting into two before finding each other in union, then you’ll understand the unbreakable bond that a Scorpio and a Virgo can share. Virgo’s practicality balances Scorpio’s intensity, leading to a productive and steady partnership.
Capricorn: These two have an instant and unspoken gravitational attraction to each other. Scorpio will feel compelled to understand the drive and motivation of their chosen Capricorn, and the Cap will like the undying and reliable focus they receive from their Scorpio counterpart.
Pisces: The spiritual depth of Pisces complements Scorpio’s feelings-forward intensity, which creates a bond of trust and passion. Together, these two water signs form a deeply emotional and spiritually rich bond.
Pisces
Cancer: Both intuitive and nurturing, this pairing offers depth and mutual understanding. This is a romantic and supportive relationship where both prioritize emotional security.
Scorpio: Pisces is something like a teacher and a lover for Scorpio. They come to Scorpio like the light at the end of the tunnel, and Scorpio can’t help but put their guard down for their lover Pisces. These two are intense and inseparable. They daydream about each other when they’re apart. This is the type of love that art is made from—they feel deeply and love hard.
Taurus: Taurus offers grounding energy, which gives Pisces with a safe space to dream and create.
Virgo: Pisces and Virgos are opposite signs on the zodiac wheel, but they share the same core values. It’s said that Pisces heals the human world by channeling spirit and Virgo heals the spirit through mundane human activities. They have the same goals and values but express them differently, giving each of them the opportunity to grow and learn by being together. They love to feel mentally, spiritually, and emotionally stimulated together.
What do water signs struggle with?
While water signs have incredible emotional depth, they may also struggle with their emotions, especially when they’re not being properly channeled.
Overwhelmed by emotions: Water signs can feel overwhelmed by their feelings, especially when they’re in an environment that doesn’t support their emotional well-being. They may struggle to set boundaries and protect themselves from emotional drain.
Escapism and disassociation: Water signs, particularly Pisces, may resort to escapism when faced with difficult emotions. They’ll avoid conflict or withdraw from reality to protect themselves from pain.
Trust issues: Scorpios, in particular, struggle with trust, while Cancer’s protective nature can make them hesitant to open up fully. Learning to trust and be vulnerable can be a significant challenge for water signs.
How to embrace being a water sign
Honor your emotions. Water signs need to learn how to navigate their emotional landscape, rather than suppress it. Expressing yourself and being open and honest about how you feel is key.
Create healthy boundaries. Protect your energy, especially from relationships that are draining or one-sided. Your zodiac sign needs to learn to say no and give yourself permission to prioritize their own well-being before pouring into others. Look into protection stones (like obsidian) to wear, leave in your home, or keep in your bag.
Embrace your creativity. Water signs have a deep well of creativity. Whether through art, music, or writing, find a creative outlet to express your emotions and connect with your inner world.
Ground yourself. While water signs are naturally fluid and intuitive, grounding practices such as yoga, mindfulness, or spending time in nature can help keep you anchored.
Want more guidance? Don’t forget to check your monthly tarotscope and weekly horoscope on Glamour.
Originally Appeared on Glamour
