Umê (, ; variant spellings include ''ume'', ''u-me'') is a semi-formal script used to write the

Tibetan alphabet The Tibetan script is a segmental writing system (''abugida'') of Indic origin used to write certain Tibetic languages, including Tibetan, Dzongkha, Sikkimese, Ladakhi, Jirel and Balti. It has also been used for some non-Tibetic languages ...

used for both calligraphy and shorthand. The name ''ume'' means "headless" and refers to its distinctive feature: the absence of the horizontal guide line ('head') across the top of the letters. Between syllables, the ''tseg'' mark () often appears as a vertical stroke, rather than the shorter 'dot'-like mark in some other scripts. There are two main kinds of ''umê'' writing: *Drutsa (), used for writing documents. *Bêtsug (), used for writing scriptures. Other Tibetan scripts include the upright block form, uchen (; ) and the everyday, handwritten cursive, gyug yig (). The name of the block form, ''uchen'' means "with a head", corresponding to the presence of the horizontal guide line.

See also