Zodiac: What you need to know about water signs

Since there are 12 zodiac signs, there are different ways of classifying them. The most well-known one is by dividing them into the four elements:fire, earth, air, and water. Without a deep understanding of the elements, you can guess how they characterize the signs: fire signs are enthusiastic and passionate, earth signs are grounded and stable, and air signs are vague and fickle. But what about water signs? What makes them tick?

Here's what you need to know about water signs:

What are the water signs?

The water signs of the zodiac are Pisces, Cancer, and Scorpio. Chinese tradition refers to water as wuxing, embodying the most yin characteristics: these signs are the most feminine, receptive, passive, while also being hidden, says The Cut. Water and the moon are also linked, both governing memory, emotion, and intuition—there’s a reason water signs are famously intuitive to the point of being psychic.

What makes water signs stand out from the rest?

Water signs are sensitive. They typically have a difficult time letting go of things and people with immense sentimental value, even when better things are on the horizon for them. However, beyond emotion, they also have vivid visions and dreams that are well connected to their gut feel. For this reason, water signs have an innate talent for the esoteric, and they tend to predict things accurately. Maybe it’s because they can see into the future or because they truly know how to read people. Who knows?

How are the water signs different from each other?

Each water sign is distinct in the way they embody the different aspects of the element. Cancer is a cardinal sign, so they’re more decisive and self-starting than the rest of the more passive signs. They’re incredibly nurturing and love taking care of their close friends and family. They also love staying home—it’s where they get the most gratification, after all.

Scorpio is a fixed sign, so their laser focus on one thing and their motivation to acquire it often has people mistaking them for a fire sign—this makes sense since it shares its ruler Mars with Aries, says Cosmopolitan. They’re notoriously enigmatic and intense, which can make them come off as emotionally unavailable—but really, there is a turbulent sea of emotions they’re just really good at hiding!

Lastly, Pisces is a mutable sign, so they’re incredibly adaptive. They’re naturally inclined towards the abstract, mysticism, and dreaminess. Their emotions fluctuate rapidly, so they often struggle with making decisions. They’re always living in their vibrant imaginations, so they tend to be absent-minded.

Source used:

The Cut, “A Guide to the Water Signs: Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces”

Cosmopolitan, “Water Signs Will Swim Away in a River of Tears”

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