Zodiac compatibility
Zodiac Compatibility Chart
In classical astrology, signs of the same element or two and four signs apart are considered the easiest matches, while signs three signs apart are a more challenging pair.
Compare two signs
Zodiac compatibility compares two Sun signs by their element, their mode and the angle between them around the zodiac. The chart below applies that one rule to all 78 possible pairs, so you can see at a glance how any two signs are traditionally read, and open a full guide where we have written one.
The classical aspect between every two Sun signs
On a phone, swipe the chart sideways to see all twelve signs.
- Trine or sextile: traditionally easy
- Opposition: attraction of opposites
- Square: friction and attraction
- Semi-sextile or quincunx: needs effort
- Same sign
Underlined cells open a full pair guide. Column and row headers open the page for each sign.
How to read the compatibility chart
Find your sign in the first column and your partner's sign along the top. The cell names the classical aspect between the two signs, and its color shows how the tradition reads it. Pairs with a full guide are links.
The aspect comes from counting the signs between you. Two signs apart is a sextile, four signs apart a trine, three a square, six an opposition. The same rule drives our zodiac compatibility calculator, so the chart and the calculator never disagree.
| Signs apart | Aspect | Traditional reading |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Same sign (conjunction) | Instant understanding, shared blind spots |
| 1 | Semi-sextile | Neighbors with different temperaments, a learning pair |
| 2 | Sextile | Friendly and easy, elements that support each other |
| 3 | Square | Friction and strong attraction, growth through conflict |
| 4 | Trine | Same element, the most harmonious pairing |
| 5 | Quincunx | Little in common, needs conscious effort |
| 6 | Opposition | Opposites that attract and balance each other |
Which zodiac signs are most compatible?
By the classical rule, the most compatible pairs share an element: the fire signs Aries, Leo and Sagittarius, the earth signs Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn, the air signs Gemini, Libra and Aquarius, and the water signs Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. Fire also gets along with air, and earth with water, which is where the sextiles come from.
That is a rule of thumb, not a verdict. Plenty of square and opposition couples do very well, often because the friction keeps both partners honest.
Why Sun signs are only the start
A Sun sign describes the core of a person, but day-to-day closeness owes at least as much to the Moon (feelings and comfort), Venus (how someone loves) and Mars (how they pursue and argue). Two people with a challenging Sun pair can have Moons in the same element, and the other way around.
If you know both birth dates, birth chart compatibility compares those placements side by side, and the synastry chart lists every aspect between the two charts.