依然

• Pinyin: yī rán
• Hanzi breakdown: 依 = to follow or accord with; 然 = 灬 (fire radical) + 然 (phonetic), meaning so, thus, or as expected

Meaning

Still; as before; as ever. Indicates that a state, situation, or appearance remains unchanged over time.

A literary and slightly formal adverb that replaces 还是 or 仍然 in more polished written or spoken Chinese. Commonly appears in descriptions of someone who hasn't changed (她依然美丽 — she is still beautiful) or a situation that persists (问题依然存在 — the problem still exists). Often carries a nostalgic or reflective tone.

Examples

1. 多年未见，她依然像从前一样热情开朗。 After many years apart, she is still as warm and cheerful as she always was.
2. 尽管遇到了很多困难，他依然坚持完成了任务。 Despite encountering many difficulties, he still persisted and completed the task.
3. 离开家乡二十年，那里的风景依然美丽如故。 Twenty years after leaving his hometown, the scenery there is still as beautiful as ever.

Usage Guide

Context: written, everyday

Tone: reflective

Do Say

• 十年过去了，他对工作的热情依然不减。(Ten years have passed, and his enthusiasm for work is still undiminished.)
• 虽然失败了几次，她依然没有放弃。(Although she failed several times, she still has not given up.)

Don't Say

• 把'依然'用于表示新出现的情况 (Don't use 依然 to describe something new or recently changed — it specifically means something continues to be as it was before)

Origin & History

A compound of 依 (as/according to) and 然 (so/thus/as expected). Together they convey the sense of things being just as they were — still the same as before.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal