“〜izen to shite・〜imada ni”: Still / To This Day [JLPT N2]

By Nihongo to Japan · Updated July 3, 2026

Stressing that a situation has continued unchanged up to now.

“〜izen to shite・〜imada ni”: Still / To This Day

This pair of adverbs both mean “still, to this day” (a situation has continued unchanged up to now), but differ in nuance: 依然(いぜん)として = “still, as before” (neutral, written, objectively stating continuation): 「問題は依然として解決していない」 (the problem is still unresolved); 未(いま)だに = “still, even now” (often with surprise or dissatisfaction, didn't expect it to drag on): 「あれから10年、未だにあの味が忘れられない」 (ten years on, I still can't forget that taste), 「未だに連絡がない」 (there's still no contact even now). One is neutral, the other emotional.

🧠 Core nuance: the situation has continued up to now, unchanged

The core is stressing that a state has continued from the past to now, still unchanged: ① 依然として — neutral, objective, written statement that ‘the situation is still so' (the situation is still severe, the problem still exists), without particular emotion, common in news and reports; ② 未だに — also ‘still up to now,' but often with the surprise or dissatisfaction of ‘even now, didn't expect it to drag on' (未だに連絡がない = still no contact even now, 未だに忘れられない = still can't forget). ⚠️ Both mean ‘continued unchanged up to now,' but 依然として is neutral, 未だに is emotional. Note both are for ‘still now…,' not for the future.

📌 How to Connect

💬 Example Sentences

• その問題は、依然として解決していない。(That problem is still unresolved.) — neutral written
• 景気は、依然として厳しい状況が続いている。(The economy is still in a difficult situation.) — objective statement
• あれから10年経つが、未だにあの味が忘れられない。(Ten years have passed, yet I still can't forget that taste.) — emotional
• もう1週間経つのに、未だに返事がない。(A week has passed, yet there's still no reply.) — with dissatisfaction
• 彼は未だに昔のことを引きずっている。(He's still hung up on the past even now.) — surprise/dissatisfaction

🔄 Compare: 依然として vs 未だに vs まだ vs 相変わらず

⚠️ Common Mistakes

1. The emotion of 未だに: 未だに often carries the surprise/dissatisfaction of ‘even now, didn't expect it to drag on'; a neutral statement uses 依然として.
2. For the future: both mean ‘still now…,' not the future (✗ 依然として来週来る).
3. 依然として leans written: suits news and reports; speech uses まだ, 相変わらず.
4. Often with a negative/continuation: 未だに〜ない (still not… even now), 依然として〜ている (still …ing).

💡 Nuance & When to Use

依然として・未だに both mean “still, to this day” (a situation has continued unchanged up to now): 依然として is the neutral, objective, written ‘as before' (the problem is still unresolved), suited to news and reports; 未だに also means ‘still up to now,' but often with the surprise or dissatisfaction of ‘even now, didn't expect it to drag on' (still no contact). One is neutral, the other emotional. Both mean continuation up to now, not the future. Distinguish from the colloquial まだ, 相変わらず. A must at N2.

🎯 JLPT Exam Tips

• High-frequency N2: 依然として (as before, neutral written) vs 未だに (still to this day, often surprise/dissatisfaction).
• Core: both mean a situation continuing unchanged up to now; not for the future.
• Distinction: 依然として (objective written) vs 未だに (emotional); speech uses まだ, 相変わらず.

🖊️ 練習題（5題）

Q1. 「問題は___解決していない。」（依舊沒解決，中性書面）

(A) 依然として　(B) もうすぐ　(C) そろそろ　(D) わざと

Q2. 「あれから10年、___あの味が忘れられない。」（至今仍忘不了）

(A) 未だに　(B) もうすぐ　(C) せっかく　(D) わざわざ

Q3. 「未だに連絡がない」の語感は?

(A) 至今竟然還沒聯絡（帶意外/不滿）

(B) 馬上會聯絡

(C) 已經聯絡了

(D) 不需要聯絡

Q4. 「依然として」と「未だに」の違いは?

(A) 依然として＝中性「依舊」;未だに＝常帶「竟然還」的意外/不滿

(B) 兩者完全相同

(C) 依然として＝帶不滿

(D) 未だに＝中性

Q5. 用法が自然なのは?

(A) 状況は依然として厳しい。　(B) 依然として来週来る(未來)。

(C) 未だに明日する。　(D) 依然としてわざと。

答案解析

1. (A) 依然として ── 依舊沒解決(中性)。

2. (A) 未だに ── 至今仍忘不了。

3. (A) ── 至今竟還沒聯絡(意外/不滿)。

4. (A) ── 依然として 中性;未だに 帶意外/不滿。

5. (A) ── 「依然として厳しい」(描述持續狀態)正確。