The word 仍然 is formed by combining two characters that both convey a sense of continuity or persistence. The first character, 仍, carries the core meaning of "to continue" or "as before". The second character, 然, often denotes a state or manner of being. When paired, 然 reinforces and extends 仍's inherent meaning, creating a compound that emphasizes the idea of "still being in a previous state" or "continuing as before", with the combination itself strengthening the overall concept of unchanged continuation.