Correct

坚持 vs 继续

/ jiānchí vs jìxù /
Strokes

Formula

1
坚持住 (stick to)
2
坚持到底 (stick to the end)
3
坚持到胜利 (stick to it until victory)
4
坚持研究 (keep on research)
5
坚持工作 (keep on working)
6
继续研究 (keep on researching)
7
继续工作 (keep on working)

Definition

坚持 and 继续 both are Verbs, which means [uphold; stick to; continue; go on].

Example

坚持 and 继续, both Verbs mean "to continue". But 继续 means "to keep on continuity objectively", while 坚持 implies "subjective will power". 坚持 also implies "to uphold or maintain resolutely" and can take an object.
1) ln examples ① and ② 坚持 implies a strong subjectivity, 继续 can also take an object, e.g. 继续这一工作 (keep on the work), but it is an objective statement;

2) In examples ③ and ④, if 做 is not used in example ④, the two sentences are the same, with example ③ expressing a stronger subjective will power and example ④ a stronger objectivity. Moreover, in example ④ 做 (or 干, etc.) is usually used. One can even say 继续坚持下去, in which 继续 is the adverbial and 坚持 the main verb.
1
zhège
这个
rén
xiàng
一向
jiānchí
坚持
yuán
原则
  

He adheres to principles all the time.

2
yào
不要
jiānchí
坚持
cuò
错误
de
jiàn
意见
le
  
!

Don't persist in your wrong idea.

3
Zhège
这个
gōngzuò
工作
  
,
qǐng
jiā
大家
jiānchí
坚持
xià
下去
  

Please stick to the work!

4
Zhège
这个
gōngzuò
工作
  
,
qǐng
jiā
大家
继续
  
(
zuò
  
)
xià
下去
  

Please keep on doing the work.

坚持 can take a complement of result; while 继续 cannot.
坚持住 (stick to) 坚持到底 (stick to the end) 坚持到胜利 (stick to it until victory)
5
kāisài
开赛
hòu
jiǔ
不久
jiù
shòu
le
shāng
  
,
méi
没法
jiānchí
坚持
dào
到底
  

He was injured early on and didn't last the match.

6
men
我们
必须
jiānchí
坚持
dào
shèng
胜利
  

We must hold out till victory.

坚持 and 继续 can be used with many other verbs, but the difference of stress on subjective effort and objectivity remains.
坚持研究 (keep on research) 坚持工作 (keep on working) 继续研究 (keep on researching) 继续工作 (keep on working)
7
Jǐnguǎn
尽管
yǒu
bìng
  
,
réng
wánqiáng
顽强
jiānchí
坚持
gōngzuò
工作
  

In spite of his illness, he clung tenaciously to his job.

8
suīrán
虽然
hěn
lèi
le
  
,
réng
继续
gōngzuò
工作
  

He was tired, but he continued to work.

继续 occasionally can function as the object; 坚持 cannot be so used.
9
Zhè
shìjiàn
事件
shì
kǒng
恐怖
huódòng
活动
de
继续
  

This event is a continuation of terrorism.