依旧

Both 依旧 (yījiù) and 仍然 (réngrán) mean 'still' or 'as before'. However, 依旧 often implies a continuation despite a change or expected change, or a more emotional or literary nuance. 仍然 is more neutral and simply states that something continues. Think of 依旧 as 'still the same, even though...' and 仍然 as 'still happening'.

Yes, absolutely! You can use 依旧 to describe someone's persistent emotional state. For example, 他依旧很伤心 (Tā yījiù hěn shāngxīn) means 'He is still very sad.' It emphasizes that their sadness continues.

Generally, 依旧 has a slightly more literary or formal feel than 仍然, though both are commonly used. In everyday conversation, 仍然 might be slightly more frequent, but 依旧 is perfectly acceptable and often chosen for its nuance.

You place 依旧 before the verb or adjective it modifies. For example:

1. 天气依旧很冷。 (Tiānqì yījiù hěn lěng.) - The weather is still very cold.
2. 她依旧喜欢那首歌。 (Tā yījiù xǐhuān nà shǒu gē.) - She still likes that song.

No, 依旧 itself is neutral. It simply indicates continuation. The positive or negative connotation comes from the context and the words it modifies. For example, 他依旧很努力 (Tā yījiù hěn nǔlì - He is still very hardworking) is positive, while 问题依旧存在 (Wèntí yījiù cúnzài - The problem still exists) might be perceived as negative.

Yes, 依旧 can appear at the beginning of a sentence, especially when you want to emphasize the continuation of a situation. For example, 依旧，他们没有放弃。 (Yījiù, tāmen méiyǒu fàngqì.) - Still, they didn't give up.

You might choose 依旧 when you want to highlight a sense of unchangingness despite time passing or potential changes. It can add a touch of poetic or reflective sentiment. For instance, if you're talking about a classic building that looks the same after many years, you might say 这座建筑依旧美丽。 (Zhè zuò jiànzhú yījiù měilì.) - This building is still beautiful.

While not a fixed idiom, you'll often hear it in phrases like 依旧如故 (yījiù rú gù), which means 'still as before' or 'still the same as in the past,' emphasizing an unchanged state. For example, 她的笑容依旧如故。 (Tā de xiàoróng yījiù rú gù.) - Her smile is still as before.

It's a very close match to 'still' in English when indicating continuation. The key difference, as mentioned, is the subtle nuance. 依旧 often carries a feeling of 'despite everything, it's still the same,' which 'still' can also do, but 依旧 might do it a bit more strongly in certain contexts.

You'll find 依旧 in both written and spoken Chinese. It can add a touch of elegance or emphasis in writing, and it's also commonly used in everyday speech, particularly when you want to express that something has remained unchanged over time or through circumstances.