jítuán: 集团 - Group, Corporation, Conglomerate

• Keywords: jituan, 集团, Chinese for group, Chinese corporation, Chinese conglomerate, business group, what does jituan mean, learning Chinese business terms, HSK 5 vocabulary
• Summary: 集团 (jítuán) is a key Chinese term meaning 'group,' 'corporation,' or 'conglomerate.' It refers to a large, often diversified business entity or a formal collective. Understanding 集团 is essential for anyone interested in Chinese business, economics, or corporate culture, as it describes major players like Alibaba Group (阿里巴巴集团) and Tencent Holdings (腾讯集团). This page breaks down its meaning, cultural context, and practical use in modern China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jítuán
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: A large business group, corporation, or conglomerate.
• In a Nutshell: 集团 (jítuán) is the word you use when you're talking about a big, powerful organization. Think less of a small “group” of friends and more of a massive corporate “group” like a conglomerate or a political “bloc.” It carries a sense of scale, structure, and official status. It's the “Group” in “Alibaba Group” or “Wanda Group.”

• 集 (jí): To gather, collect, or assemble. The character is a combination of a bird (隹) on a tree (木), picturing birds gathering together on a branch. It suggests a coming together of many parts.
• 团 (tuán): Group, society, or something ball-shaped. The outer radical 囗 represents an enclosure or a boundary, while the inner part provides the sound. It evokes the idea of individuals being united into a single, cohesive unit.

When combined, 集团 (jítuán) literally means “gathered group.” This paints a clear picture of many individual entities (like smaller companies) being assembled into one massive, unified organization.

While 集团 is a modern business and political term, it resonates with the deep-seated Chinese cultural value of collectivism (集体主义, jítǐzhǔyì). The concept that the group's success and harmony are paramount is a cornerstone of Chinese society. In a Western context, words like “conglomerate” can sometimes carry a negative connotation, suggesting a faceless, sprawling entity that stifles competition. In China, being a 集团 is often a mark of immense success, scale, and even national pride. Companies that grow to become a 集团 are seen as powerful players on the domestic and international stage, sometimes referred to as “national champions.” Compared to the English word “company,” 集团 is much more specific. The standard word for company is 公司 (gōngsī), which can be any size from a small startup to a large firm. A 集团, however, specifically refers to a large holding company with multiple subsidiaries under its control. It signifies the top tier of the corporate world.

集团 is a formal term used primarily in business, economics, and politics.

• In Business: This is its most common usage. It appears in the official names of China's largest corporations. You will see it constantly in financial news, business reports, and on company websites. For example, 万达集团 (Wàndá Jítuán) is the Dalian Wanda Group.
• In Politics: It can refer to a political bloc or an interest group, such as 利益集团 (lìyì jítuán), meaning “interest group.” This usage implies a powerful, organized collective with a specific agenda.
• Formality & Connotation: The term is formal and generally carries a neutral to positive connotation, implying size, power, and stability. You would never use it to describe a casual group of friends.

• Example 1:
  • 阿里巴巴集团是一家世界闻名的公司。
  • Pinyin: Ālǐbābā jítuán shì yījiā shìjiè wénmíng de gōngsī.
  • English: Alibaba Group is a world-famous company.
  • Analysis: A straightforward example showing how 集团 is part of a proper company name.
• Example 2:
  • 这个集团旗下有很多子公司。
  • Pinyin: Zhège jítuán qíxià yǒu hěnduō zǐ gōngsī.
  • English: This conglomerate has many subsidiary companies under it.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the core structure of a 集团 – a parent organization with many smaller companies.
• Example 3:
  • 他是一家大型媒体集团的董事长。
  • Pinyin: Tā shì yījiā dàxíng méitǐ jítuán de dǒngshìzhǎng.
  • English: He is the chairman of a large media group.
  • Analysis: Here, 集团 is used to describe the type and scale of the business.
• Example 4:
  • 我们公司的目标是发展成为一个国际化的集团。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī de mùbiāo shì fāzhǎn chéngwéi yīgè guójìhuà de jítuán.
  • English: Our company's goal is to develop into an international conglomerate.
  • Analysis: This shows 集团 as an aspirational goal for a smaller company, emphasizing growth and scale.
• Example 5:
  • 这两家集团的合并将改变整个行业的格局。
  • Pinyin: Zhè liǎng jiā jítuán de hébìng jiāng gǎibiàn zhěnggè hángyè de géjú.
  • English: The merger of these two groups will change the landscape of the entire industry.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates the use of 集团 in the context of major business events like mergers and acquisitions.
• Example 6:
  • 政府正在调查这个集团是否存在垄断行为。
  • Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ zhèngzài diàochá zhège jítuán shìfǒu cúnzài lǒngduàn xíngwéi.
  • English: The government is investigating whether this group engages in monopolistic practices.
  • Analysis: Shows a more neutral/negative context, where the size and power of a 集团 attract regulatory scrutiny.
• Example 7:
  • 她在一家房地产集团的法务部工作。
  • Pinyin: Tā zài yījiā fángdìchǎn jítuán de fǎwùbù gōngzuò.
  • English: She works in the legal department of a real estate group.
  • Analysis: A common, everyday sentence describing someone's place of employment when it's a large corporation.
• Example 8:
  • 这个利益集团对政策有很大的影响力。
  • Pinyin: Zhège lìyì jítuán duì zhèngcè yǒu hěn dà de yǐngxiǎnglì.
  • English: This interest group has a great deal of influence on policy.
  • Analysis: An example of the political usage of 集团.
• Example 9:
  • 海航集团申请破产重组。
  • Pinyin: Hǎiháng Jítuán shēnqǐng pòchǎn chóngzǔ.
  • English: HNA Group has filed for bankruptcy and restructuring.
  • Analysis: A typical headline you might see in financial news, using 集团 as part of the company's official name.
• Example 10:
  • 作为一家大型企业集团，他们承担着更多的社会责任。
  • Pinyin: Zuòwéi yījiā dàxíng qǐyè jítuán, tāmen chéngdānzhe gèng duō de shèhuì zérèn.
  • English: As a large enterprise group, they bear more social responsibility.
  • Analysis: This sentence links the concept of a 集团 to the idea of corporate social responsibility (CSR).

• 集团 (jítuán) vs. 公司 (gōngsī): This is the most critical distinction. A 公司 (gōngsī) is any “company.” A 集团 is a specific type of company: a large “group” or “conglomerate,” usually a parent company with subsidiaries. All 集团 are 公司, but very few 公司 are large enough to be called a 集团.
  • Correct: 阿里巴巴集团是一家大公司。(Alibaba Group is a big company.)
  • Incorrect: 我朋友开了一家小集团。(My friend opened a small “group”.) You should say 我朋友开了一家小公司 (wǒ péngyou kāile yījiā xiǎo gōngsī).
• 集团 (jítuán) vs. 团队 (tuánduì): Don't confuse them! A 团队 (tuánduì) is a “team” – a small, collaborative unit like a project team, a sales team, or a sports team. A 集团 is a massive corporate entity. You work in a 团队, which is part of a 公司, which might belong to a 集团.
• False Friend: “Group”: The most common mistake is using 集团 to mean a casual “group” of people. This sounds very strange and overly formal in Chinese.
  • Incorrect: 我和我的集团去看了电影。(My “conglomerate” and I went to see a movie.)
  • Correct: 我和我的一群朋友去看了电影。(A group of my friends and I went to see a movie.)

• 公司 (gōngsī) - Company. The general term for a business. A 集团 is a specific, large type of 公司.
• 企业 (qǐyè) - Enterprise; business. A slightly broader and more formal term than 公司, often emphasizing the industrial or operational aspect.
• 团队 (tuánduì) - Team. A small, collaborative unit. The opposite of 集团 in terms of scale.
• 子公司 (zǐ gōngsī) - Subsidiary. A company controlled by a parent company. A key structural component of a 集团.
• 母公司 (mǔ gōngsī) - Parent company. The controlling company within a 集团.
• 集体 (jítǐ) - Collective. A more sociological term for a group of people functioning as a whole, related to the concept of collectivism (集体主义).
• 财团 (cáituán) - Financial conglomerate; consortium. Similar to 集团 but with a stronger emphasis on finance, banking, and investment.
• 组织 (zǔzhī) - Organization. A very general term that can refer to any organized body, from a business to a charity to a club.