Etymology

From Japanese 系列 ‎(けいれつ keiretsu), from Middle Chinese 繫 (ɣèj "attached") + 列 (ljet "set", "row") (compare Mandarin xìliè 系列 "series", "set").

keiretsu ‎(plural keiretsus or keiretsu)

1. A set of Japanese companies with interlocking business relationships and shareholdings.