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依然
yī rán
still
虽然下雨了，但他依然准时到达。
Although it was raining, he still arrived on time.
formal
Continuing to exist or occur in the same way as before; still.
她依然保持着年轻的心态。
She still maintains a youthful mindset.
尽管经历了挫折，他依然坚持自己的梦想。
Despite setbacks, he still persists in his dreams.
Used to emphasize that a state or action continues unchanged despite circumstances or expectations.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Emphasis in Sentences
Use '依然' to highlight that something continues despite expectations or changes. For example: '虽然累了，但他依然工作到深夜。' (Although tired, he still worked late into the night.)
Gold Rule
Position in Sentences
'依然' typically appears before the verb or adjective it modifies. It can also be placed at the beginning of a sentence for emphasis: '依然，他没有放弃。' (Still, he didn't give up.)
Word Origin
Composed of two Chinese characters: 依 (yī, 'to rely on') and 然 (rán, 'so/thus'). Originally meant 'to follow the natural order' in classical Chinese, later evolved to mean 'still' in modern usage.
Usage Notes
1. Often used in formal or written contexts but also common in speech. 2. Can precede or follow the subject in a sentence. 3. More emphatic than '还是' in some contexts, suggesting persistence despite changes.
Word Breakdown
依
to rely on; following
root然
so; thus; like this
root汉英词典