Multilayer ceramic electronic component

A multilayer ceramic electronic component, comprising:

• a multilayer body including stacked dielectric layers, and first and second internal electrode layers stacked on the dielectric layers, the multilayer body including first and second main surfaces on opposite sides in a lamination direction, first and second end surfaces on opposite sides in a length direction orthogonal to the lamination direction, and first and second lateral surfaces on opposite sides in a width direction orthogonal to both the lamination direction and the length direction;
• a first external electrode on the first end surface;
• and
• a second external electrode on the second end surface;
• wherein
• the first internal electrode layers are electrically connected to the first external electrode;
• the plurality of second internal electrode layers are electrically connected to the second external electrode;
• the multilayer body includes an inner layer portion where the first and second internal electrode layers oppose each other;
• a particle size of ceramic included on a first lateral surface side of the inner layer portion is smaller than a particle size of the ceramic included in a central portion of the inner layer portion in the width direction;
• a particle size of the ceramic included on a second lateral surface side of the inner layer portion is smaller than a particle size of the ceramic included in the central portion of the inner layer portion in the width direction;
• a particle size of the ceramic included at an end of each of the second internal electrode layers on a first end surface side of the inner layer portion is smaller than a particle size of the ceramic included in the central portion of the inner layer portion;
• and
• a particle size of the ceramic included at an end of each of the first internal electrode layers on a second end surface side of the inner layer portion is smaller than a particle size of the ceramic included in the central portion of the inner layer portion.