लिपि (lipi)

noun A single-sense noun meaning 'script' or 'writing system' -- the set of characters used to write a language, as opposed to the language itself.
Sense 1 : script, writing system
noun, feminine
Synonyms: लेखन प्रणाली (lekhan pranaalii, writing system, more formal/technical)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: You will meet this word constantly in discussions of Hindi itself: हिंदी देवनागरी लिपि में लिखी जाती है (hindii devnaagrii lipi men likhii jaatii hai, 'Hindi is written in the Devanagari script'). It is a useful word for talking about India's linguistic diversity, since many languages (Hindi, Marathi, Nepali, Sanskrit) share the same लिपि (lipi) while remaining distinct भाषाएँ (bhaashaaen, languages).
Common Mistakes: 1) लिपि (lipi) refers to the script (the set of characters), not the language itself -- देवनागरी (devnaagrii) is a लिपि (lipi) used to write both हिंदी (hindii) and मराठी (maraathii), but हिंदी (hindii) is the भाषा (bhaashaa, language). Learners sometimes use लिपि (lipi) when they mean भाषा (bhaashaa).
Sample Sentences:
हिंदी देवनागरी लिपि में लिखी जाती है। Hindi is written in the Devanagari script.
(hindii devnaagrii lipi men likhii jaatii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
संस्कृत और मराठी भी देवनागरी लिपि में लिखी जाती हैं। Sanskrit and Marathi are also written in the Devanagari script.
(sanskrit aur maraathii bhii devnaagrii lipi men likhii jaatii hain।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
उर्दू की लिपि अरबी-फ़ारसी से मिलती है। Urdu's script resembles the Arabic-Persian one.
(urdoo kii lipi arbii-faarsii se miltii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
क्या तुम गुरुमुखी लिपि पढ़ सकते हो? Can you read the Gurmukhi script?
(kyaa tum gurumukhii lipi padh sakte ho?)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
पुराने ज़माने में यह लिपि पत्थरों पर उकेरी जाती थी। In olden times, this script used to be carved onto stones.
(puraane zamaane men yah lipi patthron par ukerii jaatii thii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Passive
अगर उसने लिपि नहीं सीखी होती, तो वह ये पुराने अभिलेख नहीं पढ़ पाता। If he hadn't learned the script, he wouldn't have been able to read these old inscriptions.
(agar usne lipi nahiin siikhii hotii, to vah ye puraane abhilekh nahiin padh paataa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
इस लिपि को समझने के लिए पहले वर्णमाला सीखो। To understand this script, first learn the alphabet.
(is lipi ko samajhne ke lie pahle varnmaalaa siikho।)
Register: Casual -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
भाषाविद यह मानते हैं कि लिपि और भाषा एक चीज़ नहीं हैं। Linguists hold that script and language are not the same thing.
(bhaashaavid yah maante hain ki lipi aur bhaashaa ek chiiz nahiin hain।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
शायद यह लिपि किसी प्राचीन सभ्यता से आई हो। Perhaps this script came from some ancient civilization.
(shaayad yah lipi kisii praachiin sabhytaa se aaii ho।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Voice: Active
नई पीढ़ी अब रोमन लिपि में हिंदी लिखने लगी है। The new generation has now started writing Hindi in the Roman script.
(naii piidhii ab roman lipi men hindii likhne lagii hai।)
Register: Neutral -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): लिपि (lipi)
(sg.f.oblique): लिपि (lipi)
(pl.f.direct): लिपिएँ (lipien)
(pl.f.oblique): लिपिओं (lipion)