1.
small and medium-sized enterprise; SME
A company classified as small or medium in scale based on the number of employees and capital, as defined by Japan's Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Basic Act. In Japan, over 99% of all companies fall into this category, making the term extremely common in economic and business discussions.
中小企業を支援する。
To support small and medium-sized enterprises.
日本の会社の大半は中小企業だ。
The majority of companies in Japan are SMEs.
中小企業の経営者は人手不足に悩んでいる。
Managers of small and medium-sized enterprises are struggling with labor shortages.
One of the most frequently used economic terms in Japan. 中小企業 encompasses both 中企業 (medium enterprises) and 小企業 (small enterprises), with exact thresholds varying by industry. Since over 99% of Japanese businesses qualify as SMEs and they employ around 70% of the workforce, this term appears constantly in news, policy discussions, and business contexts.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 中小企業支援: SME support
- 中小企業経営: SME management
- 中小企業向け: aimed at SMEs
- 中小企業庁: Small and Medium Enterprise Agency
- 中小企業診断士: SME management consultant (national certification)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 大企業: large enterprise — the counterpart term for big corporations
- 零細企業: micro-enterprise — even smaller than 小企業, typically family-run businesses with very few employees
- ベンチャー企業: venture company — a startup, which may be small but carries a connotation of innovation and growth potential rather than established small business