Ryakuji (kanji:略字, kana:りゃくじ) are shorthand and usually unofficial forms of kanji.

For example, 々 is a shorthand form of the kanji 仝, which itself is another form of the kanji 同, which means "same". For compound words where the same kanji is used twice in a row, 々 is used where the second kanji would be so that it doesn't have to be written again.