The Sign of Cancer
The Nurturing Crab of the Zodiac
About the Cancer Zodiac Sign
Cancer, represented by the Crab (Unicode: ♋), is the fourth sign of the zodiac. It is a cardinal water sign, known for its deep emotional capacity, intuition, and protective nature. Like the crab that carries its home on its back, Cancer individuals value security, family, and a deep sense of belonging.
The symbol itself resembles two swirling galaxies or the claws of a crab, representing the cyclical nature of emotions, the moon's influence, and the hard outer shell that protects a soft, sensitive interior.
Astrological Profile
Element
Cancer belongs to the Water element, alongside Scorpio and Pisces. This grants them fluid emotional understanding, empathy, and a strong subconscious mind.
Ruling Planet
Governed by the Moon, Cancer's moods, instincts, and inner world are deeply tied to lunar cycles, emphasizing change, reflection, and maternal energy.
Modality
Cancer is a Cardinal sign, marking the beginning of a new season (Summer in the Northern Hemisphere). This grants initiative and leadership in emotional and domestic realms.
Symbolism
The Crab symbolizes self-protection, the ability to move sideways (indirect approach), and a hard exterior that shields a vulnerable, soft heart.
The Unicode Character
The standard Unicode character for the Cancer zodiac sign is:
Unicode Code Point: U+264B
HTML Entity: ♋ or &cancer;
Description: CANCER (Zodiac sign for Cancer)
This symbol is part of the "Miscellaneous Symbols" Unicode block and is widely supported across modern operating systems, browsers, and fonts. It allows for the consistent digital representation of the Cancer sign in astrology applications, websites, and textual content without relying on images.