v2.4.0.6
Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
 12 Months Ended
May 31, 2012
May 31, 2011
May 31, 2010
May 31, 2009
Income Taxes [Line Items]        
Effective tax rate, change fom prior period 0.50% 0.80%    
Total gross unrecognized tax benefits, excluding related interest and penalties $ 285,000,000 $ 212,000,000 $ 282,000,000 $ 274,000,000
Total gross unrecognized tax benefits, excluding related interest and penalties, amount which would affect the Company's effective tax rate if recognized in future periods 165,000,000      
Increase in liability for payment of interest and penalties 17,000,000 10,000,000 6,000,000  
Accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions (excluding federal benefit) 108,000,000 91,000,000    
Estimated decrease in total gross unrecognized tax benefits as a result of resolutions of global tax examinations and expiration of applicable statutes of limitations 58,000,000      
Reinvestment of the cumulative undistributed earnings of certain foreign subsidiaries 5,500,000,000      
Unrecognized deferred tax liability associated with the indefinitely reinvested undistributed earnings 1,800,000,000      
Tax holiday, expiration period 2019      
Decrease in income tax expense related to tax holiday 103,000,000 36,000,000    
Decrease in income tax expense related to tax holiday per diluted share, (in dollars per share) $ 0.22 $ 0.07    
Valuation allowance related to tax benefits of certain subsidiaries with operating losses 30,000,000 15,000,000    
Deferred tax assets for foreign tax credit carry-forwards 216,000,000 236,000,000    
Available domestic and foreign loss carry-forwards 247,000,000      
Income tax benefits attributable to employee stock-based compensation $ 120,000,000 $ 68,000,000 $ 57,000,000  
Minimum
        
Income Taxes [Line Items]        
Deferred tax assets for foreign tax credit carry-forwards, expiration date 2020      
Maximum
        
Income Taxes [Line Items]        
Deferred tax assets for foreign tax credit carry-forwards, expiration date 2022      
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
        
Income Taxes [Line Items]        
Years under examination Currently under audit by the Internal Revenue Service for the 2011 tax year.