Meaning of 仍然
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- still; as before; yet
How to use 仍然
仍然 is a slightly formal adverb placed before the verb to say a situation has not changed. It often follows 虽然 (suīrán) or 但是 (dànshì) in contrast sentences. Example: 他虽然很累，但是仍然在工作。(Tā suīrán hěn lèi, dànshì réngrán zài gōngzuò.) Although he is tired, he is still working.
仍 (réng) has the person radical 亻, so picture a person who keeps going the same way, and 然 (rán) is the common suffix meaning "like this." Together 仍然 means a person is still "like this," just as before.
Common mistake: Learners often put 仍然 at the start of the sentence like English "still," but it normally goes after the subject and before the verb: 我仍然喜欢他, not 仍然我喜欢他. Also, 仍 is second tone (réng), not fourth like 扔 (rēng, to throw), which looks similar but has the hand radical 扌.
仍然 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
仍 réng · still · 4 strokes
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然 rán · certainly · 12 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 仍然.
| 然后 | ránhòu | then; after that; afterwards |
| 虽然 | suīrán | although; even though (often used correlatively with 可是[ke3 shi4] or 但是[dan4 shi4] etc) |
| 大自然 | dàzìrán | nature (the natural world) |
| 忽然 | hūrán | suddenly; all of a sudden |
| 当然 | dāngrán | only natural; as it should be |
| 突然 | tūrán | sudden; abrupt; unexpected |
| 显然 | xiǎnrán | clearly; evidently; obviously |
| 自然 | zìrán | nature; natural |
| 果然 | guǒrán | really; sure enough |
| 必然 | bìrán | inevitable; certain |
| 不然 | bùrán | not so; no |
| 既然 | jìrán | since; as; this being the case |
Questions about 仍然
What does 仍然 mean?
仍然 (réngrán) means "still; as before; yet" and is used as a adverb.
How do you write 仍然?
仍然 is made of 2 characters: 仍 (4 strokes), 然 (12 strokes). That is 16 strokes in total.
Is 仍然 an HSK word?
Yes. 仍然 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 仍然 and 还 (hái)?
Both can mean "still," but 还 is more casual and common in speech, while 仍然 sounds more formal and written. 还 also has other meanings like "also" and "even more," which 仍然 does not have.
Can 仍然 be shortened to 仍?
Yes, 仍 alone means the same thing and is used in formal writing and news, as in 问题仍未解决 (wèntí réng wèi jiějué), the problem is still unresolved. In everyday speech, 仍然 or 还 is more natural.