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Compatibility
Cancer Rat and Pisces Dragon

The cherished match of firstwest and secondwest blends with the similarly revered combination of the firsteast and secondeast—making this one of the most favored energy matches in the whole combined Western and Chinese zodiac.

Western Zodiac sign, Cancer
Western Zodiac sign, Pisces

Western Zodiac

Cancer and Pisces

Compatibility overview

There is a rare and wonderful beauty to the combination of firstwest and secondwest. Trine matches, which occur where signs are four steps apart, are said to be the most harmonious in the Western zodiac. For these two signs, their essential compatibility nurtures qualities of learning, identity formation, and pleasure.

Cancer and Pisces - Relationship Horoscope

Read more about the CANCER and PISCES zodiac signs...

Read more about the CANCER RAT and PISCES DRAGON combined zodiac signs...

Bruce Lee famously preached a "Be Water, My Friend" philosophy, saying, "Be formless, shapeless, like water. You put water into a cup, it becomes the cup." While this may be an eloquent description of mindfulness, it also captures a lot of the challenges the Water signs Cancer and Pisces may face in life, and why a connection between these signs can be so special.

Sharing the most changeable and fluid element, Water, means these two signs can both be highly impressionable and responsive to the needs of others. They are both strongly empathic by nature—Cancer with an emphasis on identity formation, security, and belonging, and Pisces with their inclination towards universally shared concerns rather than individual priorities. This porous energy can make it difficult for these two signs to really know themselves. Cancer in particular has a reputation for being potentially the most variable of all the signs, they are so susceptible to outside influences. But Pisces too often lacks assertiveness—at least about their true nature—which can lead to them being alternately obliging or withdrawn, rather than accepting themselves with greater confidence.

The beauty of a relationship between Cancer and Pisces arises out of this mutual sensitivity. The pure, Cardinal modality of Cancer matches perfectly with Pisces' more transitory Mutable nature, meaning the supple, changeable potential of their shared Water element is free to flow and transform without restriction. Romance is highly favoured, but any connection between these two is likely to attract a special brand of intimacy. Cancer may be encouraged to develop a model of individual identity and home life that resonates with a growing sense of their own uniqueness. Pisces may feel less compelled to hide away (whether in plain sight or darkness) and more inclined to share their gentle aestheticism.

In short, this can be be one of the most promising relationships in the Western zodiac, favouring all kinds of exploration of the self and the outside world, and offering a uniquely close and strong bond to both parties.

Celebrity Cancer/Pisces Pairings*

*Click on the names to see both Western and Chinese zodiac matches for that pairing.

Sophie Hunter and Benedict Cumberbatch
Sophie Hunter and Benedict Cumberbatch (click for attribution/s)

Benedict Cumberbatch (7/19/1976, Cancer Dragon), Sophie Hunter (3/16/1978, Pisces Horse) : The actor and theatre director/playwright married in 2015 and have three children. Though the couple have avoided discussing their relationship publicly, Cumberbatch said in 2016: "Home is always the roots and the safe harbor."

Lionel Messi (6/24/1987, Cancer Rabbit), Antonela Roccuzzo (2/26/1988, Pisces Dragon) : The soccer superstar and model have known each other since their childhood in Rosario, Argentina. Messi confirmed their relationship publicly in 2009, and they have three children together.

Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez
Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez (click for attribution/s)

Selena Gomez (7/22/1992, Cancer Monkey), Justin Bieber (3/1/1994, Pisces Dog) : The musician and musician/actor formed one of the most high-profile couples in the world when they dated on-and-off between 2010 and 2018. At one time, Gomez explained, "I'll forever support [Bieber] and love him in a way….we grew up together," while Bieber said, "I'm never going to stop loving [Gomez]. I'm never going to stop checking in on her." After Gomez released her commercially and critically acclaimed song, "Lose You to Love Me", which she appeared to acknowledge was about her relationship with Bieber, she described: "I'm very proud of it...It's not a hateful song; it's a song that is saying — I had something beautiful and I would never deny that...now here I am stepping into a whole other chapter."

Mel Brooks (6/28/1926, Cancer Tiger), Carl Reiner (3/20/1922, Pisces Dog) : The two actor/comedian/screenwriters were best friends for over 70 years. They famously collaborated on the 2000 Year Old Man comedy albums in the 1950s/1960s. They were known for spending their evenings together in their 90s, watching Jeopardy and eating together at Reiner's house. In 2021, Brooks recalled: "Any time I could surprise [Reiner] and really break him up, I knew it was funny. He was the greatest audience. Ahhh, I miss him so much...He would call me in the evenings and say, ‘Come over, come over! I got a big stuffed cabbage for us!’ Even at the end he was always Carl: funny, sweet-natured, warm and just the most wonderful friend a person could ever have. People know how good he was, but not how great."

Miriam Makeba and Angélique Kidjo
Miriam Makeba and Angélique Kidjo (click for attribution/s)

Angélique Kidjo (7/14/1960, Cancer Rat), Miriam Makeba (3/4/1932, Pisces Monkey) : The two singer/songwriters shared a close mentoring friendship. Kidjo described in 2022: "In 1989, I was asked to be [Makeba's] opening act in Paris. During my soundcheck, she walked onstage, and I was frozen. I was shaking from emotion. She said, 'Hello, little girl! You have a nice voice!' After that, every time she would see me, she’d say, 'You’re doing good!' It was a friendship between a daughter and a musical mother. She said, 'Never accept anyone to put you in the category of "world music." All music is in the world. Everything people listen to comes from Africa. Why are we put in the ghetto of "world music?"' She gave me a lot of advice...I want my music to carry her legacy and to sing to her every time I’m onstage."

Carly Simon (6/25/1945, Cancer Rooster), James Taylor (3/12/1948, Pisces Rat) : The two singer/songwriters were married from 1972 to 1983, and had two children. In her memoir, Boys in the Trees (2015), Simon wrote about their early intimacy: "It was the nicest contact I could ever know, could ever have asked for, or ever remember…James was my muse, my Orpheus, my ‘good night, sweet prince,’ my something-in-the-way-he-moves."

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Chinese Zodiac sign, the Rat
Chinese Zodiac sign, the Dragon

Chinese Zodiac

Rat and Dragon

Compatibility overview

This is a sensational combination. When the firsteast pairs with the secondeast, sparkling creativity mixes with relentless energy. Under the right conditions, the result is terrifically inspiring, as well as having great potential for a unique brand of stability and security.

Rat and Dragon - Relationship Horoscope

Read more about the RAT and DRAGON zodiac signs...

Read more about the CANCER RAT and PISCES DRAGON combined zodiac signs...

Much like the elements in Western astrology, the Chinese zodiac is predicated on four Trine Families of signs. The family that comprises the Dragon and Rat (and their sibling-in-arms the Monkey) is classically the most inventive and vigorous of the four. The energy here is relentlessly high-octane, impatient to conceptualize the next breakthrough invention, anxious to see their daring schemes translated into brazen reality.

The Dragon is a stunningly combustible legend, generally at their most comfortable showcasing their glorious talents for the widest possible audience. They are likely to be quickly seduced by the charms and brilliant ambitions of the resourceful Rat. The Rat, meanwhile, ever shrewd, and quite happy to step into or out of the limelight themselves depending on what suits their clever purposes, is likely to seize immediately on the huge potential the Dragon represents for effective and concerted action. Most importantly, while a certain pragmatism may influence early contacts between these two, they are likely to find themselves almost immediately swept up in spontaneous joy.

Irrepressible and with talent to burn, in many quarters these signs can be easily bored or difficult to please. In each other's company, however, there will never be a dull moment! Don't be surprised if there is a sense of, "At last!", as these two finally find themselves free to unleash their prodigious skills in ways that are both exhilarating and productive.

As time passes by, seemingly in a pleasureful, constructive instant, the Rat and Dragon will probably find to their surprise that they have already built the foundation for a lifelong and deeply rewarding relationship.

Celebrity Rat/Dragon Pairings*

*Click on the names to see both Western and Chinese zodiac matches for that pairing.

Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder
Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder (click for attribution/s)

Donna Summer (12/31/1948, Capricorn Rat), Giorgio Moroder (4/26/1940, Taurus Dragon) : The collaboration between singer Summer and producer Moroder during the 1970s and 80s has been credited as a pivotal influence on the history of dance music. Moroder described in 2023, "[Summer and I] were close, even though at the beginning of our relationship, so much of our time was divided, me mostly in Munich and her mostly in America after her success...[I] saw her often, during the last years of her life as she lived in the same building as I did in Los Angeles. We got close again before she died...If she ever believed that I was something of a mentor, that was OK, considering the years that we worked so closely together...I think that our musical relationship was really, really good. She believed in what Pete [Bellotte, Moroder’s longtime songwriting partner] and I were doing, and co-wrote the songs with us, while I did most of the music. She was very much involved. It was less of a singer-producer relationship and more like three guys working on songs together. That camaraderie had much to do with the success of our music."

Jean-Michel Basquiat (12/22/1960, Capricorn Rat), Andy Warhol (8/6/1928, Leo Dragon) : In spite of a 32 year age gap, the two famous artists developed a close and intimate relationship in the art scene of 1980s New York. Warhol described how after one of their first meetings Basquiet created an artwork of the two together: "He went home and within two hours a painting was back, still wet, of him and me together. And I mean, just getting to Christie Street must have taken an hour. He told me his assistant painted it."

Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom
Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom (click for attribution/s)

Katy Perry (10/25/1984, Scorpio Rat), Orlando Bloom (1/13/1977, Capricorn Dragon) : The singer/songwriter and actor have dated since 2016, been engaged since 2019, and have a daughter together. In an Instagram tribute to Bloom on his 45th birthday in 2022, Perry posted: "Thank you for being a constant compass, an unwavering anchor and bringing joi[e] de vivre into every room you walk in. You are the love and light of my life."

Elsie Hewitt (3/5/1996, Pisces Rat), Benny Blanco (3/8/1988, Pisces Dragon) : The producer and model/actor quarantined together during the Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020. Hewitt and Blanco offered glimpses into their playful and intimate domestic life in a series of YouTube videos Hewitt created showing them preparing and cooking meals together.

Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi
Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi (click for attribution/s)

John Belushi (1/24/1949, Aquarius Rat), Dan Aykroyd (7/1/1952, Cancer Dragon) : The two actors were long term collaborators, close friends and colleagues who worked together on iconic sets such as Saturday Night Live and The Blues Brothers. Forty years after Belushi's tragic death, Aykroyd commented in an interview, "I think of him every day."

LeBron James (12/30/1984, Capricorn Rat), Kevin Durant (9/29/1988, Libra Dragon) : The two world-famous basketballers jockeyed for position as potentially the best player in the NBA during the early 2020s. Despite their rivalry on court, James and Durant are close friends who are quick to defend each other, especially against media criticism. Durant stated in 2021: "Anything LeBron does, you guys talk about like it is breaking news. He can’t do anything. He has to play every game, he has to average close to a triple-double, he has to be a perfect person, because you will say everything about him."


Combined Relationship Horoscope

Final Words

The single greatest synergy across Western and Chinese astrology is the pride of place given by both to Trine combinations. In this relationship, the Western Trine pairing of firstwest and secondwest unites with the Chinese zodiac Trine pairing of firsteast and secondeast. Thus good fortune and harmony encompass these two from both sides, creating limitless potential in any context for intimacy, nourishment, inspiration, and dependability. Simply as good as it gets.

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