零細企業(れいさいきぎょう)

The term 零細(れいさい) means 'tiny, minute' and emphasizes the extremely small scale. In Japanese business classifications, 零細企業(れいさいきぎょう) is smaller than 中小企業(ちゅうしょうきぎょう) (small and medium enterprises). Many are family businesses like local shops, restaurants, and workshops. Japan's economy has a very large number of these businesses.

Common collocations

• 零細企業(れいさいきぎょう)の経営者(けいえいしゃ): owner of a micro enterprise
• 零細(れいさい)農家(のうか): small-scale farmer
• 中小(ちゅうしょう)零細企業(れいさいきぎょう): small, medium, and micro enterprises
• 零細企業(れいさいきぎょう)向(む)け融資(ゆうし): loans for micro enterprises

Similar words

• 中小企業(ちゅうしょうきぎょう): small and medium enterprises (SMEs) — larger category; the standard term in business and government policy
• 個人事業主(こじんじぎょうぬし): sole proprietor — a legal term for a person running a business individually
• ベンチャー企業(きぎょう): startup; venture company — implies innovation and growth ambition, unlike 零細(れいさい) which implies small scale