zaibatsu

American  

[zahy-bah-tsoo] / ˈzaɪ bɑˈtsu /

noun

• zaibatsu
  plural

1. a large industrial or financial conglomerate of Japan.

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zaibatsu British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• zaibatsu
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of zaibatsu

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 fá ); cf. chaebol ( def. )

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

zaibatsu

Mitsubishi became one of Japan’s first zaibatsu, family-owned business conglomerates with financial and industrial branches influential in Japanese politics.

From Textbooks ● Dec. 14, 2022

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

From The Verge ● Apr. 10, 2020

"The occupation did not kill the zaibatsu," says Economics Professor Ryosei Kobayashi of Tokyo's Senshu University.

From Time Magazine Archive

The prewar zaibatsu cartels of Mitsui, Mitsubishi and Sumitomo were broken up under the U.S. occupation and supposedly have come together again only loosely.

From Time Magazine Archive

Last week the influence and power of the zaibatsu sprawled once more across the length and breadth of Japan, firmly in control of all its major industries except steel.

From Time Magazine Archive

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