zaibatsu

American  

[zahy-bah-tsoo] / ˈzaɪ bɑˈtsu /

noun

plural

zaibatsu

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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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. )

Example Sentences

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

Mutual funds were growing so fast that their chiefs seemed likely to become American zaibatsu.

From Time Magazine Archive

American occupation authorities lumped him with the zaibatsu, who were scheduled to be obliterated from the industrial scene.

From Time Magazine Archive

Although Japan's multibillion-dollar zaibatsu will hardly miss the money, they have no tradition of corporate giving and get no tax exemption for it.

From Time Magazine Archive