成否

This term is a formal compound noun combining 成功 (success) and 失敗 (failure). It is primarily used in written documents, business reports, academic papers, or formal speeches. In casual daily conversation, native speakers would instead use phrases like うまくいくかどうか (whether it goes well or not) or 成功するかしないか (whether it succeeds or not).

It describes a binary outcome where only two possibilities exist: total success or total failure. It is frequently used when discussing the critical factors that determine the outcome of a project, a strategy, or an experiment.

Commonly paired with verbs like 分ける (wakeru - to divide/determine) or 左右する (sayū suru - to influence/affect), emphasizing the tipping point between the two opposite results.