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zaibatsu

[ zahy-bah-tsoo ]

noun

, plural zai·ba·tsu.
  1. a large industrial or financial conglomerate of Japan.


zaibatsu

/ ˈzaɪbætˈsuː /

noun

  1. functioning as singular or plural the group or combine comprising a few wealthy families that controls industry, business, and finance in Japan
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of zaibatsu1

First recorded in 1935–40; from Japanese, equivalent to zai “wealth,” (from Middle Chinese dzoi, Mandarin Chinese cái ) + batsu “powerful clique” (from Middle Chinese bjot “powerful family,” Mandarin Chinese ); chaebol ( def )
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Word History and Origins

Origin of zaibatsu1

from Japanese, from zai wealth, from Chinese ts'ai + batsu family, person of influence, from Chinese fa
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Example Sentences

American civilians attached to the Supreme Command of Allied Powers carried out land reform; empowered workers and women; broke up the zaibatsu, the powerful industrial-banking combinations that had dominated the Japanese economy; and decentralized political power.

Some of Japan’s biggest, wealthiest companies originated in industrial groups called “zaibatsu,” that relied on forced labor, especially during wartime, when labor was scarce because so many adult men were away fighting.

And that’s actually really similar to the Japanese zaibatsu model from the prewar times, which I find really interesting.

In Japan, you have the zaibatsu from the war era, and Samsung was essentially modeled on that idea of this God-like corporate leader who has this top-down vision that he sends down to all the executives.

Sometimes it’s Michelle and Julia Chang, archaeologist and scientist respectively, trying to take down the Mishima Zaibatsu.

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