Kark Rashi in English
Kark rashi, Karka in Sanskrit, is Cancer, the crab: the movable water sign and the only sign ruled by the Moon.
Kark rashi in English is Cancer. Kark is the everyday Hindi form of Karka, the Sanskrit name of the fourth of the twelve Vedic rashis, a movable water sign ruled by the Moon and pictured as a crab. The chart above tells you whether Karka is your own rashi once you give it your birth date, the time and the place.
By Astro Ashish · Last verified: October 7, 2026
Kark, Karka or Karkat: one sign, three spellings
Karka and Karkata are the Sanskrit words for a crab. Hindi drops the final vowel and says Kark (कर्क), and some almanacs print Karkat. All three are the same fourth sign, so kark rashi in English, karka rashi in English and karkat rashi in English have one answer: Cancer, which is simply the Latin word for a crab.
Kark rashi ko English mein 'Cancer' kehte hain. हिंदी में: कर्क राशि को अंग्रेज़ी में Cancer (कैंसर) कहते हैं।
The zodiac sign and the illness share an English word only because both were named after the crab. The rashi has nothing to do with the disease.
Kark rashi facts at a glance
Kark rashi in English is Cancer, and Karka covers 90 to 120 degrees of the sidereal zodiac. The table lists its names, letters and Sun-entry times.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Sanskrit | Karka (Karkata) |
| Hindi | कर्क (Kark) |
| English sign | Cancer ♋︎ |
| Symbol | Crab |
| Ruling planet (lord) | Moon (Chandra) |
| Element | Water (Jala) |
| Quality | Movable (Chara) |
| Nakshatras spanned | Punarvasu (pada 4), Pushya (full), Ashlesha (full) |
| Common spellings | Kark, Karka, Karkat, Karkata |
| Tamil / Malayalam name | Kadagam (கடகம்) / Karkidakam (കർക്കടകം) |
| Name letters (naam akshar) | Hi, Hu, He, Ho, Da, Di, Du, De, Do (ही, हू, हे, हो, डा, डी, डू, डे, डो) |
| Sun enters Karka, 2026 (sidereal, Lahiri) - Karka Sankranti | 16 July 2026, 23:39 IST |
| Sun enters Karka, 2027 (sidereal, Lahiri) - Karka Sankranti | 17 July 2027, 05:48 IST |
| Western (tropical) Cancer dates | 22 June - 22 July |
| Why the dates differ | Vedic dates are tied to the fixed stars and Western dates to the solstice and equinox points; the difference is now about 24 days. |
The Moon's only sign, and Jupiter's exaltation
Five planets rule two signs each, but the two lights rule one apiece: the Sun has Simha and the Moon has Karka. Since rashi itself means the Moon's sign, a person with Kark rashi has the Moon in its own sign, which astrologers count as a strength. Karka is also where Jupiter is exalted, most strongly at 5 degrees, and where Mars is debilitated, most deeply at 28 degrees. Both figures are Parashara's. He describes the sign as watery, strong at night and ruled by the Moon.
Kark rashi name letters and nakshatras
The letters for Kark rashi are Hi, Hu, He, Ho, Da, Di, Du, De and Do (ही, हू, हे, हो, डा, डी, डू, डे, डो). Hi comes from the last pada of Punarvasu; Hu, He, Ho and Da from the four padas of Pushya; and Di, Du, De and Do from Ashlesha. The Da sounds here are the retroflex ड, as in Damru, not the dental द. Pushya, whose name means the nourisher, sits wholly inside Karka. A name is traditionally chosen from the letter of the pada where the Moon stood when the child was born, which the nakshatra finder reports.
Karka Sankranti: the Sun turns south
The Sun enters Karka at 23:39 IST on 16 July 2026, twenty-one minutes before midnight, and at 05:48 IST on 17 July 2027. This is Karka Sankranti. It closes the six months of Uttarayana and opens Dakshinayana, the half of the year that lasts until Makar Sankranti. In Kerala the solar month that begins now is Karkidakam, the last month of the Malayalam year. The whole month is observed as Ramayana Masam, the month of reading the Ramayana, and it holds Karkidaka Vavu, the day of rites for one's ancestors.
How do you find out if you are Kark rashi?
Your rashi is the Moon's sign at birth, so two people born on the same July day can have different rashis. Read the Moon-sign field in the result, rather than assuming the Sun sign or ascendant is the answer. Near a sign boundary, the recorded birth time is especially useful.
- Begin with your birth date in the chart above.
- Enter your birth time; the Moon crosses into and out of Karka within about two and a quarter days.
- Choose your birth place.
- Check the Moon sign in the result. If it shows Karka (Cancer), Kark is your rashi, and the pada of your nakshatra gives the letter for your name.
Sources and method
Sun-entry times are computed with the Swiss Ephemeris in the sidereal zodiac, Lahiri ayanamsa, and converted to IST. Rulership, exaltation and the description of the sign come from the chapters on signs and dignities in Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra.
Related
Frequently asked
What is Kark rashi called in English?
Kark rashi in English is Cancer. Kark, or Karka, is the fourth sign of the Vedic zodiac, a movable water sign ruled by the Moon, and both names mean crab.
Is Karka rashi the same as Kark rashi?
Yes. Karka is the Sanskrit form and Kark the Hindi one. Karkat and Karkata are longer spellings of the same word, so karka rashi in English and kark rashi in English are both Cancer.
What is Kadagam rasi in English?
Kadagam (கடகம்) is the Tamil name of Karka rashi, and Malayalam calls it Karkidakam (കർക്കടകം). In English both are Cancer, the same answer as for kark rashi in English.
Who is the lord of Kark rashi?
The Moon (Chandra) is the lord of Kark rashi. Karka is the only sign the Moon rules, just as Simha is the only sign the Sun rules.
What are the name letters of Kark rashi?
Kark rashi has nine name letters: Hi, Hu, He, Ho, Da, Di, Du, De and Do (ही, हू, हे, हो, डा, डी, डू, डे, डो). The Da sounds are the retroflex ड.
Which nakshatras are in Kark rashi?
Karka holds the last pada of Punarvasu and all four padas each of Pushya and Ashlesha.
Which planet is exalted in Kark rashi?
Jupiter is exalted in Karka, with its deepest exaltation at 5 degrees. Mars is debilitated in the same sign, most deeply at 28 degrees.
When is Karka Sankranti?
By the Lahiri ayanamsa the Sun enters Karka on 16 July 2026 at 23:39 IST and on 17 July 2027 at 05:48 IST. Western Cancer begins earlier, on 22 June.
Is Kark rashi a water sign?
Yes. Karka is one of the three water signs, with Vrishchika and Meena, and it is the movable one of the three.
Does Kark rashi have anything to do with the disease cancer?
No. Kark rashi in English is Cancer because the sign was named after the crab, and the illness took the same word for the same reason. The rashi only says where the Moon was when you were born.
Is Kark my rashi, and how do I check?
Enter when and where you were born in the chart above. If the Moon sign it shows is Karka, or Cancer, then Kark is your janam rashi.