Nôm is a traditional Vietnamese script that was used to write the Vietnamese language. It is based on Chinese characters, but it also includes characters created specifically for Vietnamese sounds and words. Nôm was widely used in literature, poetry, and official documents from the 13th century until the early 20th century. The use of Nôm declined with the introduction of the Latin-based script called Quốc Ngữ, which was promoted by French colonial authorities. Today, Nôm is primarily of historical interest, and efforts are being made to preserve and study this unique writing system as part of Vietnam's cultural heritage.