还在 (still doing)

• Pinyin: hái zài
• Formation: Subject + 还在 + Verb Phrase
• Hanzi breakdown: 还 = 辶 (movement) + 不 (not)

Meaning

The combination 还在 (hái zài) means 'still (doing something)' and indicates that an action which started earlier is continuing up to the present moment.

This structure merges two elements: 还 (hái, 'still') indicating continuation, and 在 (zài) marking an ongoing action. Together, 还在 emphasizes that an action has not stopped and is persisting beyond what might be expected. It often carries a nuance of surprise or mild impatience — for example, 你还在玩游戏？ implies 'you're STILL playing games?' The negation form 不再 means 'no longer' and indicates that the action has stopped. Note the difference between 还在 (still doing, ongoing) and 还要 (still want to / still need to, expressing desire or necessity for a future action).

Examples

1. 都十一点了，他还在写作业。 It's already eleven o'clock and he's still doing homework.
2. 外面还在下雨，带把伞吧。 It's still raining outside — bring an umbrella.
3. 你还在等他吗？ Are you still waiting for him?

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, everyday

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 我还在考虑要不要换工作。
• 孩子们还在外面踢足球呢。
• 这个问题我还在想办法解决。

Don't Say

• 他还在吃了饭。(还在 marks an ongoing action and cannot coexist with 了 which marks completion — these two aspects contradict each other) → 他还在吃饭。
• 她还在已经走了。(还在 indicates continuation while 已经 indicates something is already done — these two are logically contradictory) → 她已经走了。
• 我还在不看电视。(还在 describes an action in progress; to say you are still not doing something, use 还没 instead) → 我还没看电视。

Origin & History

The adverb 还 (hái) derives from an older meaning of 'return' or 'go back,' which naturally extended to the concept of something remaining or continuing. Combined with the progressive marker 在, it creates a vivid expression of persistent ongoing action.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal