Scorpio and Cancer Compatibility: Are They a Good Match in Love and Friendship?

Are you a Scorpio thinking about making friends with the new Cancer in the office? Or maybe your Cancer daughter just started dating a Scorpio, and you want to know what’s in the cards for their relationship. Whatever the case may be, you need to know about Scorpio and Cancer compatibility ASAP – and we’re here to help. Keep reading for everything you need to know about Scorpio and Cancer compatibility in love and friendship. 

What’s up with Scorpios?

It’s best to approach relationship pairings with a deep understanding of each individual sign. So before we dive into the relationship dynamics between these two water signs, let’s talk about them individually — starting with the sign of the scorpion. 

Scorpio women and men have an incredibly strong reputation, one that often gets them mistaken for a fire sign. Like the venomous arachnids that represent them, Scorpios can be extremely patient and deadly, lying in wait for the perfect opportunity to strike — whether that means negotiating for a promotion, charming the pants off their work crush… or getting revenge. Don’t mistake this penchant for calculation and practicality as totally callous, though. Instead, think of Scorpios as simply clever like a Virgo or Gemini, and willing to play the long game to get what they want. 

In fact, as water signs, Scorpios tend to be driven by their emotions more than anything else; guided by intuition with a flair for the subconscious, Scorpios’ trademark explosiveness is fueled by their emotional depths, which make them akin to a Pisces or Leo. Scorpios are often closely associated with sex, which can make them extremely alluring and attractive. However, they’re also ruled by Pluto, the planet of transformation and destruction. Don’t be afraid to strike up a relationship with that Scorpio in your life — just remember that Scorpios aren’t afraid to burn it all to the ground in order to get what they want.

What about Cancerians?

From the outside, Cancers and Scorpios couldn’t be more different. But if you look a bit closer, their foundations are very similar. Like Scorpios, Cancer men and women are water signs, meaning they are highly attuned to their emotions and the subconscious. Cancers are introspective and often channel their thoughts and emotions through a creative outlet, such as writing, painting, or dance. Picture your most artistic friend. Chances are, they’re a Cancer. 

Cancers also tend to be emotional, and are often described as the crybabies of the zodiac. But Cancers don’t just cry thanks to the depths of their sadness — it can also be due to anger and frustration. Although Cancers tend to be gentle and compassionate, don’t be surprised if one of these crabs snaps on you seemingly out of the blue. Cancer women and men are ruled by the moon, the planetary body that governs the home and the feminine spirit. Accordingly, these signs tend to be homebodies and will carefully curate their living space to reflect maximum comfort and ease. They also fall naturally into caretaker roles, such as nursing, parenthood, and therapy work. 

Cancer and Scorpio in Friendship

These signs are fast friends. Although Scorpios tend to be a bit more passionate and extreme in their feelings, while Cancers are more sentimental and freely expressive, they both are incredibly in tune with their emotions, which forms the foundation for a relationship built on empathy and mutual respect. Because they understand each other’s motivations so well, Cancers and Scorpios tend to develop a quick rapport. They can often be found completing each other’s sentences and communicating only via eye contact. They’ll stay up until the wee hours of the morning, trading secrets and sharing their most closely held dreams. 

For this reason, loyalty in a Scorpio-Cancer bond is paramount. If Scorpio feels betrayed by Cancer, or vice versa, there’s no going back — that friendship is over, and Scorpio will burn even the shreds of it to the ground before considering the possibility of forgiveness. Both signs prize trustworthiness above all else, and the exact thing that makes their relationship both valuable and fragile. On the other hand, if there’s some sort of problem in their relationship that doesn’t involve a breach of trust — communication issues, for example, or maybe one pal feels more insecure than the other — these two aren’t afraid to dive deep to the heart of the problem in order to work it out. Scorpio men and women are all about emotional intensity, and perhaps no sign is quite as in touch with their emotions as a Cancer. Together, they’ll excavate a solution to whatever problem they face.

Cancer and Scorpio as Coworkers

So, how does all of this translate into a professional setting? After all, sometimes you don’t need to be BFFs with someone — you just need to be able to get along with them at work. The same principles that make Scorpio-Cancer relationships work in other contexts can also benefit THEM here. While the workplace is more of a logic-driven environment, know that what your Scorpio or Cancer counterpart wants from their job or project is often based on their emotional desires rather than something material or intellectual. In other words, they’re not doing their job strictly for the money — they’re doing it because they want to help other people, or because it brings them joy, or benefits them in some other emotional way. Even if you and the Scorpio or Cancer you’re working with have different work styles, know that you share a similar M.O. for being there. Good communication in the workplace is paramount, but Cancers and Scorpios don’t always communicate verbally. Oftentimes, you can pick up just as much information from them nonverbally as what they say to your face. 

Cancer and Scorpio Compatibility: A Love Match?

Now that we’ve shared what they’re like as pals and co-workers, let’s talk about what they’re like in a relationship. Both Cancers and Scorpios are known for intense characteristics: for Cancers it’s their emotions and for Scorpios, it’s their ambitions and possessiveness. You might think this would make for a too-intense or toxic relationship, but in fact, these two signs are pretty well set up for success, thanks to their location on the zodiac wheel. 

Cancers and Scorpios are trine to each other, meaning they’re 120 degrees apart on the zodiac wheel and share a harmonious flow. Both signs are driven by their emotions, meaning they get each other. There’s no need to explain their motivations or try to bridge a gap. They understand where the other is coming from, and can forge an emotional connection that rivals any other astrological pairing. As far as romance goes, the potential for this sort of connection makes the chemistry between these two positively explosive. 

There are some obstacles between these two, for sure — Cancers love to stay safely ensconced in their shell, keeping a protective barrier between themselves and the world, while at the same time, Scorpios tend to hide their true desires behind a thick layer of charm and misdirection. But unlike many signs, they don’t have to explain to each other why these protective walls are up; they’ll both just instinctually get it, no explanations necessary. When enough time has passed, and they are able to forge that vulnerable connection, it will ignite a connection unlike anything either person has experienced before. 

Physical Connection in a Cancer-Scorpio Relationship

A Cancer partner and a Scorpio partner also tend to have a very passionate physical connection (ooh la la!) with plenty of sexual compatibility. As mentioned earlier, Scorpios are sexually magnetic, and Cancers are drawn in by their charisma and depth, while Scorpio is seduced by Cancer’s caring nature. Although they may take a while to become physically intimate with each other and form a sex life, once they do, the connection will likely be undeniable and will strengthen their overall love compatibility. Like the Gemini or Aquarius, Scorpios are notoriously adventurous in bed, while Cancers are givers — they love to take care of their partner in every way possible. Both signs will find a physical relationship immensely fulfilling and enjoyable for however long it lasts.  

Potential Problem Areas

Although Scorpios and Cancers have a shared water sign foundation that tends to make them super compatible, they do have different modalities. Scorpios are a fixed sign, meaning they prefer closely holding onto what they already have and narrowing in with a laser focus on what they want. They can be possessive and jealous, and they don’t like change. Cancers are a cardinal sign, which means they often initiate change, and charge ahead into new careers, places, and goals for their life. Cancers can let go of the past more easily than Scorpio but tend to be more vulnerable. They’re more likely to take something personally and become hurt by what Scorpio sees as not a big deal at all.

Like issues between many other sign pairs, the solution ultimately comes down to communication. Cancers must learn to open up about when something is important to them. For instance, maybe they’re up for a promotion at work, and feeling like their whole career is hinged on this decision. Rather than trying to bottle up those intense emotions, a Cancer should be honest with their partner: “I’m up for a promotion at work, and I’m nervous about it. It’s important to me that you support me through this.”

Scorpios, who tend to be less expressive than Cancers, can similarly benefit from open communication when solving relationship problems. Scorpios are prone to holding on to grudges without even expressing why they are angry to the person in question. Over time, they can learn to be honest about how they feel.

The Bottom Line on Cancer-Scorpio Love

Whatever the nature of the relationship between Scorpio and Cancer, chances are, any daily horoscope will predict these two shall be two peas in a pod before long. So, if you’re thinking about befriending a new Cancer or striking up a relationship with a Scorpio, go for it: You just might meet your soulmate.