‘Zàngwén’ (Tibetan script) refers to the unique writing system used for the Tibetan language, which originated in the 7th century and is derived from ancient Indian Brahmi scripts. The character 藏 (Zàng) means ‘Tibet’—specifically referring to the Tibet Autonomous Region—and 文 (wén) means ‘script’, ‘writing’, or ‘language’. Together, they form a compound noun denoting the formal orthography of Tibetan, including its distinctive horizontal characters, vowel diacritics, and syllable-based structure.

This script is used not only for secular texts but also for Buddhist scriptures, religious inscriptions, and official documents in Tibetan-speaking areas of China. It is taught in schools in Tibet and appears on bilingual signage, currency, and public notices. While closely tied to Tibetan culture and religion, Zàngwén is distinct from spoken Tibetan dialects and requires separate literacy training.