zaibatsu

American  

[zahy-bah-tsoo] / ˈzaɪ bɑˈtsu /

noun

PLURAL

zaibatsu

1. a large industrial or financial conglomerate of Japan.

---

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

---

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 ); chaebol ( def. )

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.

From Washington Post

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.

From Washington Times

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

From The Verge

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.

From The Verge

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

From The Guardian