Aries
Mar 21 - Apr 19
- Element
- Fire
- Modality
- Cardinal
The 12 Zodiac Signs: Dates, Traits & Meanings
The twelve zodiac signs are the twelve sections of the zodiac used in Western astrology. Your Sun sign is based on the Sun's apparent position at the time of birth. Each sign is traditionally associated with an element, a modality, a symbol and a set of interpretive qualities.
The 12 Zodiac Signs at a Glance
Dates, element and modality help describe each sign's symbolic structure. Exact dates can vary slightly by year and by the precise time the Sun changes signs.
Taurus
Apr 20 - May 20
- Element
- Earth
- Modality
- Fixed
Gemini
May 21 - Jun 20
- Element
- Air
- Modality
- Mutable
Cancer
Jun 21 - Jul 22
- Element
- Water
- Modality
- Cardinal
Leo
Jul 23 - Aug 22
- Element
- Fire
- Modality
- Fixed
Virgo
Aug 23 - Sep 22
- Element
- Earth
- Modality
- Mutable
Libra
Sep 23 - Oct 22
- Element
- Air
- Modality
- Cardinal
Scorpio
Oct 23 - Nov 21
- Element
- Water
- Modality
- Fixed
Sagittarius
Nov 22 - Dec 21
- Element
- Fire
- Modality
- Mutable
Capricorn
Dec 22 - Jan 19
- Element
- Earth
- Modality
- Cardinal
Aquarius
Jan 20 - Feb 18
- Element
- Air
- Modality
- Fixed
Pisces
Feb 19 - Mar 20
- Element
- Water
- Modality
- Mutable
Zodiac Elements: Fire, Earth, Air and Water
The four elements group signs by shared symbolic qualities: Fire is associated with drive and expression, Earth with practicality and stability, Air with thought and communication, and Water with sensitivity and emotional response.
Modalities: Cardinal, Fixed and Mutable
Modalities describe how a sign symbolically tends to act: Cardinal signs initiate, Fixed signs stabilize, and Mutable signs adapt and transition. Each element contains one sign of each modality.
Traits and Meanings of the 12 Zodiac Signs
Aries
Mar 21 - Apr 19 · Fire · Cardinal
Aries is traditionally associated with initiative, direct action and the desire to begin. Its cardinal fire symbolism emphasizes momentum, courage and independence, while impatience can be the other side of that speed.
Taurus
Apr 20 - May 20 · Earth · Fixed
Taurus is linked with stability, patience and the wish to build something lasting. Fixed earth symbolism points to consistency, practicality and appreciation of comfort, with stubbornness as a possible excess.
Gemini
May 21 - Jun 20 · Air · Mutable
Gemini is associated with curiosity, communication and mental flexibility. Mutable air symbolism favors learning, exchange and variety, although scattered attention can appear when too many interests compete at once.
Cancer
Jun 21 - Jul 22 · Water · Cardinal
Cancer is traditionally connected with sensitivity, protection and emotional belonging. Cardinal water symbolism emphasizes care, intuition and attachment to home or familiar bonds, while defensiveness may emerge under pressure.
Leo
Jul 23 - Aug 22 · Fire · Fixed
Leo is associated with creativity, self-expression and the wish to shine openly. Fixed fire symbolism favors loyalty, confidence and sustained enthusiasm, while pride can become a challenge when recognition feels uncertain.
Virgo
Aug 23 - Sep 22 · Earth · Mutable
Virgo is linked with analysis, improvement and attention to useful details. Mutable earth symbolism supports adaptability, organization and service, with overthinking or excessive self-criticism as possible imbalances.
Libra
Sep 23 - Oct 22 · Air · Cardinal
Libra is traditionally associated with balance, relationship and the search for fair exchange. Cardinal air symbolism encourages dialogue, cooperation and social awareness, while indecision can arise when every perspective is weighed equally.
Scorpio
Oct 23 - Nov 21 · Water · Fixed
Scorpio is associated with intensity, depth and transformation. Fixed water symbolism suggests emotional persistence, privacy and strong commitment, while control or suspicion can surface when trust is difficult.
Sagittarius
Nov 22 - Dec 21 · Fire · Mutable
Sagittarius is linked with exploration, perspective and the search for meaning. Mutable fire symbolism favors movement, optimism and broad horizons, while restlessness or bluntness can appear when freedom becomes the priority.
Capricorn
Dec 22 - Jan 19 · Earth · Cardinal
Capricorn is traditionally associated with responsibility, structure and long-term achievement. Cardinal earth symbolism emphasizes planning, discipline and practical ambition, with rigidity or excessive seriousness as possible shadows.
Aquarius
Jan 20 - Feb 18 · Air · Fixed
Aquarius is associated with independence, ideas and collective perspectives. Fixed air symbolism can produce intellectual consistency, originality and commitment to principles, while emotional distance may appear when ideas take precedence over feelings.
Pisces
Feb 19 - Mar 20 · Water · Mutable
Pisces is traditionally linked with imagination, empathy and permeability to atmosphere. Mutable water symbolism favors compassion, intuition and creative adaptation, while unclear boundaries can become challenging when sensitivity is overloaded.
Sun Sign, Moon Sign and Rising Sign
When people say “zodiac sign,” they usually mean the Sun sign. In astrology, the Moon sign is interpreted in relation to emotional patterns, while the rising sign depends on the eastern horizon at the exact place and time of birth. Finding all three requires a birth chart calculated from birth date, time and location.
Zodiac Sign Compatibility
Astrological compatibility is not based on Sun signs alone. A fuller comparison considers several birth-chart factors, although elements and modalities can provide a first symbolic framework for understanding similarities and differences between two people.
How Your Zodiac Sign Is Determined
For most people, comparing the birth date with the zodiac date ranges is enough. If you were born close to the transition between two signs, birth time and location may be needed to determine precisely which sign the Sun occupied.
