The word 依然 is formed through the combination of two independent characters, each contributing its core conceptual meaning to create a new, unified idea. The first character, 依, carries the inherent sense of "to lean on", "to rely on", or "to follow according to", implying a basis or continuity from a prior state. The second character, 然, means "to be so" or "thus", acting as a classical Chinese marker that confirms a state or condition. When fused, the compound metaphorically paints the picture of a circumstance continuing to follow and be as it thus was, yielding the holistic meaning of "still", "as before", or "remaining unchanged".