‘依然’ is an adverb meaning ‘still’ or ‘nevertheless,’ emphasizing that a state, condition, or action continues unchanged despite expectations, time passing, or external circumstances. The character 依 (yī) originally conveys ‘to rely on’ or ‘in accordance with,’ while 然 (rán) means ‘so,’ ‘thus,’ or ‘in this way’ — together, they form a classical compound expressing continuity and unaltered reality. It carries a slightly literary or formal tone, often used in written Chinese, storytelling, or thoughtful speech.

This word frequently appears after subjects and before verbs or adjectives to stress persistence: e.g., 他依然爱她 (He still loves her), even after years apart. Unlike the more colloquial 还 (hái), 依然 adds emotional weight or poetic nuance — suggesting resilience, nostalgia, or quiet certainty. It’s commonly found in contexts involving feelings, relationships, memories, or enduring natural phenomena.