So you know alllll about Cancer, but what about Cancer Rising? Cancer Risings are absolute darlings, or at least that’s how they present themselves to the world. Noted for having roundish features, babyish eyes, and a cozy aesthetic, Cancer Risings come off as easy to approach. There’s a certain delicacy to the way they interact with others, showcasing their more tender sides while also holding off from sharing their more intimate and important details. Let's talk about Cancer Risings:
What does your Rising sign tell you?
Your Sun sign (that's the one you mean when you say, "What's your sign?") is determined by your birthday, but your Rising sign is determined by the time you were born. To get specific, it’s determined by which zodiac sign was on the eastern horizon when you were born, and it changes every two-ish hours—which is why it’s so important to know your exact birth time. You can be a Cancer Sun and Cancer Rising, Sagittarius Sun and Cancer Rising, Aquarius Sun and Cancer Rising—you get the idea. Your Rising sign plays a major role in shaping and defining your attitude, appearance, and the first impressions you make.
How is your Rising sign different from your Sun sign?
There are fundamental differences between your Sun sign and Rising sign, starting with the fact that the the Sun is a star, and your Rising sign refers to the zodiac sign that was rising on the horizon at your time and location of birth. Your Sun sign represents your ego and feeling of purpose. Your Rising sign, which also marks your 1st House of self, represents your aesthetic and how you are perceived, and provides clues as to how you navigate the world around you.
How to find your Rising sign
You'll need your birth date, time, and location to find your Rising sign. Enter them all into a birth chart calculator like this one:
This birth chart calculator was created by www.astro-seek.com in collaboration with astrologer Narayana Montúfar. Learn more about Narayana's work on her website www.naramon.com.
Meet Your Big Three
The Cancer Rising Basics
Element: Water
Modality: Cardinal
Ruler: The Moon
Represented by: The Crab
Cancer Rising's best traits: Caring, kind, cozy, empathetic
Cancer Rising's worst traits: Closed-off, moody, distrustful
Cancer Rising celebrities: Margot Robbie, Adele, Angelina Jolie, Pharrell Williams, Kehlani, Ben Affleck, Kate Hudson, Jennifer Garner, The Weeknd, Meghan Markle
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Cancer Rising's Personality Traits
Cancer Risings are ruled by the Moon, which sets them apart from most of the zodiac because the Moon is not a planet (in astrology, it's called a luminary, along with the Sun). For this reason, Cancer Risings are continuously moving through various emotions and especially influenced by the feelings of others. This means that when they’re paying attention to something, they’re entirely immersed in that subject.
Cancer is a cardinal water sign, and much like a flowing river, Cancer Risings always keep things moving. When they finally have some time to themselves, you can usually find them at home or somewhere that allows them to be comfortable. They value their solitude just as much as they value their friends and family. They aren’t Energizer bunnies—they’ll burn out if they don’t take space for themselves. They can be extremely aware of their emotions, which is another reason they need some space to recharge. That being said, they do thrive when they have a partner who’s able to help them balance their moods and provide logic to balance out their feelings.
Cancer Risings have a Capricorn Descendant (the point directly opposite the Rising sign in a birth chart), which makes them understand and value the levels of human interaction. Translation: They’ll be nice to you, but you shouldn’t expect them to show true vulnerability until you’ve proven your loyalty.
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Cancer Rising's Appearance
Ruled by the Moon, Cancers Risings come off as calm and serene, as if they have a soft glow that's emanating from them. They give off a vibe of being sweet, nurturing, and caring, if perhaps a bit introverted. Physically, Cancer Risings often have round faces and big, watery eyes.
Cancer Rising’s Relationships
Cancer Risings bring strength and stoicism to their close relationships. Their natural inclination to care for others sets them apart from many of the other signs of the zodiac. While not all Cancer Risings have the deep desire to be a parent, they often find themselves taking care of their loved ones.
For some reason, people may feel especially comfortable around Cancer Risings, which means they could end up showing their more immature and needy sides to these Crabby Risings. Luckily for the loves of Cancer Rising’s lives, these crabs rarely take issue with being a shoulder to cry or acting like a cheerleader for their friends! Cancer Risings are true sweethearts who genuinely want to see their loved ones feel good and look good. If they notice a friend in need, they’ll carve out time and make sure that they show up. At their best, Cancer Risings are looking for a safe space, someone who allows them to put their guard down and simply relax.
Once you’re one of their chosen family members, Cancer Risings have no bounds in their fondness. They’re the type to show up for your important events, remember your favorite meals, and surprise you with meaningful gifts. Simply put, if you’re lucky enough to have made it into a Cancer Rising’s heart, then you’ll undoubtedly feel their affection.
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Cancer Rising's Compatibility
Cancer Rising tends to get along well with other Cancer Risings, as well as fellow water signs Scorpio Rising and Pisces Rising. You also click with Cancer Suns and Moons, plus other water sign Suns and Moons, too. Similarly, you do well with earth sign placements (Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn)—water and earth are what astrologers call "congenial elements," meaning they get along well.
Let's talk compatibility!
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Getty/Margie RischiottoCancer Rising in Love
A Cancer Rising in love is one of the most endearing sights to witness. There’s no limit to how tirelessly they will care for the person who’s caught their fancy. To a Cancer Rising, love translates into showing affection, showing up, and actively showing their face to the person they love. Cancer is a cardinal sign, which means that to them, love is not a stagnant, spoken emotion—it is an act that they will continuously and tirelessly commit themselves to. To be loved by a Cancer Rising is to be cooked for—they’ll always check up on you to make sure you’ve eaten. Occasionally, you may expect them to surprise you with flowers, blankets, and your favorite treats. If you’re loved by a Cancer Rising, they’ll want to be a stabilizing force in your life. Your comfort, safety, and success will be some of their top priorities.
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Sex for Cancer Risings
For Cancer Risings, sex is primarily a way to get emotionally intimate with their partner. Which doesn't mean that they're vanilla—just that they prefer to really get kinky with someone they know and trust. Sex is an intense experience for Cancers, and they'll happily set aside a whole day to spend time in bed with their partner. They're very physical and want to get hands-on.
Cancer Rising's Friendships
Once you are true friends with a Cancer Rising, then you have a friend for life. Cancer Risings tend to be compassionate, empathetic, and loving. They are very sweet people, showing a willingness to extend their arms wide for a person in need. They provide a certain type of warmth that puts people at ease, even to their casual acquaintances. Sometimes Cancer Risings can be the social worker at the party because they are concerned for the wellbeing of others. If an absolute stranger drinks a little too much, a Cancer Rising is quick to point out that alcohol dehydrates the body. Quick to troubleshoot and find the best steps, they’ll rush to make sure the person is safe, has a bottle of water, and has some way to get back home.
One of the most charming characteristics of Cancer Risings is that they are down to earth and are easy to be around. Warm and caring, these types of people enjoy helping others who may have been through a hard time. They relish in the positive vibes and are conscious of the energy that each person is expressing within a space.
At the acquaintance stage of friendship, you probably won’t know all that much about a Cancer Rising. Similar to Scorpio Risings, they present as somewhat mysterious to their community members, often choosing to spend their time by themselves or with their closest friends. When and if a Cancer Rising feels you should be invited into their close friends circle—not to be mistaken with Instagram’s "close friends"—you have a friend forever. Cancer Risings are highly loyal, especially to those who explicitly state their needs in a friendship. They enjoy knowing their presence is valued and are responsive to people who ask for help. Cancer Risings present their most authentic selves when they feel they can trust you. In order for you to witness that version of them, you must be willing to give a little. Authentic vulnerability goes a long way with a Cancer Rising.
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Cancer Rising at Work
Much like the Moon, Cancer Risings need movement and continuous travel in their world. They value work that enables their ability to move freely or at least a job that gives them the feeling that they’re not stuck in one particular place. Even if they have to be seated for long periods of time, it helps if their work challenges their mind and allows them to learn.
If Cancer Risings can’t move their body, they’ll have to be able to flex their minds. They thrive in positions of authority, and they bring empathy to most interactions. They can sensitively navigate through difficult workplace situations. As much as they enjoy learning from their work and those in their work environment, they also make amazing teachers, providing great insights and a wealth of knowledge.
Cancer Rising at Home
A Cancer Rising’s home is their place of peace. Their day-to-day life can be ever-changing and filled with travel, caring for others, and throwing themselves into the unknown. So it’s extra important for them to make their home a space of peace and serenity. They enjoy paying extra attention to the aesthetics of their living space, making sure to have candles and pillows wherever is needed. Harmony is their thing.
While I can’t promise you that every Cancer Rising will be a neat freak, they do care about appearances. They want people to see that they put their best foot forward—so yeah, their home will probably be clean when you visit. Given that Cancer Risings care a great deal about family, you can expect to see sentimental gifts from relatives, photos of their friends, and toys for their furry companions. While Cancer Risings can be adventurous and active, they often find themselves being mildly selective about who they let in their space. They are friendly, but they’d rather not have too many people in their space because they value maintaining their peace. If a Cancer Rising invites you for a visit, take that as a compliment!
Cancer Rising's Houses in the Birth Chart
When we follow the Whole Sign House (WSH) system, where each house in the birth chart aligns with a sign, Cancer Rising's houses look like this:
- 1st House: Cancer
- 2nd House: Leo
- 3rd House: Virgo
- 4th House: Libra
- 5th House: Scorpio
- 6th House: Sagittarius
- 7th House: Capricorn
- 8th House: Aquarius
- 9th House: Pisces
- 10th House: Aries
- 11th House: Taurus
- 12th House: Gemini
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Monisha “Six” Holmes is an astrologer and Master of Social Work (MSW) who covers love, relationships, and wellness. She earned her MSW at Columbia University, where she specialized in contemporary social issues. Aside from writing, Monisha is the founder of Black Women Being, a media platform aimed at promoting wellness, spirituality, and justice.
Follow her on YouTube.
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