The classical
Mongolian script (in Mongolian script:
Mongγol bičig; in
Mongolian Cyrillic: Монгол бичиг
Mongol bichig), also known as
Hudum Mongol bichig, was the first
writing system created specifically for the
Mongolian language, and was the most successful until the introduction of Cyrillic in 1946. Derived from
Sogdian, Mongolian is a
true alphabet, with separate letters for consonants and vowels. The Mongolian script has been adapted to write languages such as
Oirat and
Manchu. Alphabets based on this classical vertical script are used in
Inner Mongolia and other parts of China to this day to write Mongolian,
Xibe and, experimentally,
Evenki.