A visual language
Zodiac signs symbols and their meanings
Every zodiac glyph with its name, emblem and meaning: from the horns of the Ram to the two fish of Pisces.
| Glyph | Sign | Emblem | Type | Unicode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aries | Ram | Animal | ♈ | |
| Taurus | Bull | Animal | ♉ | |
| Gemini | Twins | Human | ♊ | |
| Cancer | Crab | Animal | ♋ | |
| Leo | Lion | Animal | ♌ | |
| Virgo | Maiden | Human | ♍ | |
| Libra | Scales | Object | ♎ | |
| Scorpio | Scorpion | Animal | ♏ | |
| Sagittarius | Archer | Hybrid creature | ♐ | |
| Capricorn | Sea-goat | Hybrid creature | ♑ | |
| Aquarius | Water-bearer | Human | ♒ | |
| Pisces | Fish | Animal | ♓ |
What the glyphs represent
- Aries ♈: the horns of the ram.
- Taurus ♉: the head and horns of the bull.
- Gemini ♊: two figures joined, the twins.
- Cancer ♋: the claws of the crab, or two curled shapes read as the breasts or the crab’s pincers.
- Leo ♌: the lion’s mane and tail.
- Virgo ♍: a stylised M with a loop, variously read as the maiden or a sheaf of grain.
- Libra ♎: the balance beam of the scales, also read as the setting Sun on the horizon.
- Scorpio ♏: an M ending in the scorpion’s raised stinger.
- Sagittarius ♐: the archer’s arrow and bow.
- Capricorn ♑: the horn of the goat curling into a fish tail.
- Aquarius ♒: two waves of water, or air currents.
- Pisces ♓: two fish tied together by a cord.
Zodiac signs animals, people and an object
The Greek word zōidiakos means roughly “of little animals”, but not every emblem is an animal. The twins, the maiden and the water-bearer are human figures, the archer is a centaur, Capricorn is a goat-fish, and Libra’s scales are the only object. Libra’s stars were once the claws of the Scorpion before the Romans named them the Scales.
Zodiac spirit animals
“Spirit animal” lists for the zodiac are a modern internet idea, borrowing a term from some Indigenous traditions. Within astrology itself, the only animals attached to the signs are the emblems above: the ram, bull, crab, lion, scorpion, goat-fish and fish, plus the centaur of Sagittarius. Older writers also linked Scorpio with the eagle.
Chinese zodiac animals are a different system
The twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac (Rat, Ox, Tiger and so on) belong to a separate tradition based on years, not months. See the Chinese zodiac animals.
Zodiac signs symbols images to download
Our twelve glyph drawings are available as a single SVG sprite and as individual SVG files for personal use, printing or design mock-ups. See the glyph designs and tattoo guide.
Frequently asked questions
What are the zodiac sign animals?
Seven of the twelve emblems are animals: the ram (Aries), bull (Taurus), crab (Cancer), lion (Leo), scorpion (Scorpio), goat-fish (Capricorn) and fish (Pisces). The word zodiac comes from the Greek zōidiakos kyklos, “circle of little animals”.
Which zodiac sign is not a living thing?
Libra. Its scales are the only inanimate emblem in the zodiac.
Why is Aquarius an air sign if its symbol carries water?
The symbol and the element are separate conventions. The water-bearer image is older than the element system; astrologers read the water as ideas or knowledge poured out for others.
Can I copy the zodiac glyphs?
The glyphs are Unicode characters (U+2648 to U+2653), so you can type or paste them: ♈ ♉ ♊ ♋ ♌ ♍ ♎ ♏ ♐ ♑ ♒ ♓. Some phones show them as colorful emoji; adding the text variation selector keeps the plain glyph.
Sources
Updated · How we write and check this guide