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Ever stand under a waterfall? That’s what it’s like when a Cancer, Scorpio, or Pisces is feeling an intense emotion. The 12 zodiac signs are grouped into four elements: fire, earth, air, and water. Today, we’re diving deep (get it?) into water signs.

What are the water signs in astrology?

The three water signs—again, that’s Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces—are known for being sensitive and sentimental. They tend to hold on to people and items long past their expiration dates, and their emotions are always flowing like the waves of the oceans. In fact, some people like to joke that they’re called water signs because of all the tears. But not all water signs wear their emotions on their sleeves (looking at you, Scorpio). Just trust that even if they’re stone-faced on the surface, they’re feeling everything deep down.

There’s one water sign for each modality—which, BTW, classifies zodiac signs by whether they fall in the beginning of a season (cardinal signs), middle of a season (fixed signs), or end of a season (mutable signs) and comes with another grouping of personality traits. Cancer is a cardinal sign, Scorpio is a fixed sign, and Pisces is a mutable sign.

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Water signs' personality traits

Water signs are about so much more than strong emotions! These signs also have intense dreams, visions, and intuition so strong that it’s basically a psychic power. If you have a friend who’s eerily good at tarot reading or super into astrology, odds are they’re a water sign. These three signs can see situations happening from a mile away before it actually happens IRL.

Water signs have artistic souls. They might intentionally seek out (or make!) sad music or movies, and they probably have childhood photos framed in their room. Emotional and creative, they rely on their hearts and gut to make a decision. These signs also long for security at all times, which makes sense as they’re protective of their loved ones and themselves. They do everything they can to help the ones they care about, even if it’s at their own expense. In fact, water signs tend to be among the most loyal in the zodiac.

Unlike, say, air signs, water signs tend to be a bit reserved socially. They value quality over quantity when it comes to their friendships and are likely to have a few BFFs rather than a huge circle of acquaintances. They’re more likely to be introverts than extroverts—you need to earn their trust before they really open up around you.

Water signs and compatibility

In astrology, zodiac signs in the same elements are always four signs away from each other. This placement is something astrologers call “trine," and it's associated with ease and harmony. This means that water signs tend to get along with other water signs, whether as friends, lovers, family members, or even coworkers. They just ~get~ each other, y’know?

Water signs also get along great with earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn). They're not totally the same, but their differences are complementary. Think of watering a garden to make flowers grow.

On the other hand, fire signs (Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius) and air signs (Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius) just don't ~get~ water signs in the same way.

Let's talk compatibility!

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Water signs and your birth chart

You can learn more about yourself by looking at the elements that appear in your birth chart. If your Sun, Moon, or Rising sign is a water sign, you'll probably relate at least some water sign traits—emotional, intuitive, creative, etc. But even if water signs aren't present in your Big Three, look to where they appear in your birth chart to see where that water influence is strongest.

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Here’s what to know about the three water signs:

Cancer

Dates: June 21 to July 22

Modality: Cardinal

Ruler: The Moon

Represented by: The crab

Famous Cancers: Selena Gomez, Post Malone, Ariana Grande, Solange, Khloé Kardashian, Chloe Bailey, Jaden Smith, Lana Del Rey, Jacob Elordi, Priyanka Chopra, Lindsay Lohan

Cancer is a cardinal sign, which makes them able to take decisive action and manifest their dreams swiftly. They’re known as the providers of the zodiac—they take care of their loved ones as breadwinners and nurturers. They’re the friend who texts you to make sure you got home okay or DoorDashes you chicken noodle soup when you’re sick. They also tend to be homebodies—they’d rather stay home and rewatch their favorite movie than go out and dance all night.

Cancer is represented by the crab, and just as crabs have the ability to crawl between the ocean and shore, so can Cancers exist between the emotional and material worlds. They value having nice things, but they know that what’s really important in life is their relationships with those closest to them, like their family, best friends, and S.O. And just like a crab, Cancers take special care of their home and are particularly comfy there. They have the cutest throw pillows and the comfiest armchairs. They also tend to be nostalgic, so don’t be surprised to see childhood photos or a poster of their favorite movie from when they were a kid. Good luck getting a Cancer out of the house once they’ve taken off their bra! Oh, and once you’re in the grasp of a Cancer’s claws, you can expect to remain in their clutches forever. If a situation or person makes them comfortable, they’ll hold on with all their mighty strength.

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Scorpio

Dates: October 23 to November 21

Modality: Fixed

Ruler: Mars (traditional) and Pluto (modern)

Represented by: The scorpion

Famous Scorpios: Kendall Jenner, Drake, Willow Smith, Lorde, Penn Badgley, Gabrielle Union, Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone, Tracee Ellis Ross, Kris Jenner, SZA, Leonardo DiCaprio

Scorpio is the only fixed water sign of the zodiac. Because of their passionate nature, they’re often mistaken for a fire sign—and they share a ruling planet, Mars, with fire sign Aries. Although they have deep, intense feelings, they tend to be more guarded than Pisces and Cancer and might come off aloof or even intimidating when you first meet them.

However, Scorpio’s intense energy stands second to their intuition, and although they might seem guarded at first, trust that they have some intense feelings. The more you get to know a Scorpio, the more you’ll understand their water sign traits. They’ll open up like a lily pad! Scorpios rely on their gut feelings first and foremost, even before logic and reason. Their emotions run hot and high, making them unable to turn off their feels. Prepare to be stung if you hurt a scorpion, as their poisonous and venomous stingers will come out if you dare to betray this transformative sign. But once you have a Scorpio in your corner, they’ll be loyal for life…unless you cross them. If you do, watch out!

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Pisces

Dates: February 19 to March 20

Modality: Mutable

Ruler: Jupiter (traditional) and Neptune (modern)

Represented by: The fishes

Famous Pisces: Olivia Rodrigo, Rihanna, Bad Bunny, Justin Bieber, Elliot Page, Millie Bobby Brown, Oscar Isaac, Drew Barrymore, Lupita Nyong'o, Sophie Turner

Mysticism and dreaminess consume the heart of tender Pisces, a mutable water sign. Their emotions change rampantly, and it takes them a long time to make a permanent decision. Pisces are imaginative and prone to daydreaming, living like they’re in a fairy tale. They can come off a bit wishy-washy or even flaky. It’s not their fault—they’re ruled by Neptune, planet of dreams and illusions, which makes them live like their head is in the clouds. But don’t underestimate a Pisces! Once they finally commit to a feeling or idea, they can easily swim away from ties that hold them down.

As the last sign of the zodiac, they are something of an “old soul” and have wisdom to share. Pisces are also known as the psychics and creatives of the zodiac. They use their artistry to create the world they want—even if it exists only in their head. You always want to turn to a Pisces for advice!

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Lisa Stardust is a NYC-based astrologer, tarot card reader, energy healer, and manifestation guide known for her pop culture horoscopes. She is the author of Saturn Return Survival Guide: Navigating This Cosmic Rite of Passage, The Astrology Deck: Your Guide to the Meanings and Myths of the Cosmos, and Love Deck: 70 Cards to Ignite Attraction, Passion, and Romance. In addition to Women's Health, her work and writing has been featured in The Today Show, Oprah Daily, Vogue, Teen Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29, and InStyle. Hailing from a long line of spiritual healers, Lisa has been practicing astrology professionally for over 15 years but has been studying the stars all of her life.

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