成せい算さん

せ

い

さ

ん

Meanings

prospects of success; confidence in succeeding

Refers to a calculated or estimated likelihood of success, often used in planning or strategic contexts. Common in phrases like 成算がある (to have a good chance) or 成算が立つ (to see a way to succeed).

彼かれはこの計けい画かくに成せい算さんがあると踏ふんでいる。
He reckons there is a good chance of success with this plan.
事じ前ぜんの調ちょう査さで、プロジェクトの成せい算さんが立たった。
Preliminary research gave us confidence that the project could succeed.

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉に成せい算さんがあるto have good prospects of success in (something)
この新しん規き事じ業ぎょうには十じゅう分ぶんな成せい算さんがある。
There are solid prospects of success for this new business venture.
成せい算さんが立たつto see a clear way to succeed
何なん度ども検けん討とうを重かさねた結けっ果か、ようやく成せい算さんが立たった。
After much deliberation, we finally saw a way to succeed.
成せい算さんなしに〈動どう詞し〉to do something without any real prospect of success
成せい算さんなしに新あたらしい事じ業ぎょうを始はじめるのは危き険けんだ。
It's risky to start a new venture without any real prospect of success.

Kanji

成turn into, become, get
算calculate, divining, number

Related words

勝しょう算さん
勝算 specifically means the chance of winning a contest or battle, while 成算 refers more broadly to the prospects of success in any undertaking.
見み込こみN1
見込み is a general term for an expected outcome or outlook, whereas 成算 specifically implies a calculated confidence that a plan will succeed.
自じ信しんN3
自信 expresses personal confidence in oneself or one's ability, while 成算 is about the objective likelihood that a specific plan or endeavor will succeed.

Don't confuse with

精せい算さんN3
精算 (settling accounts, e.g. fare adjustment) is a homophone of 成算 (prospects of success) with an entirely unrelated meaning.
清せい算さんN1
清算 (liquidation, settling debts) shares the same pronunciation as 成算 (prospects of success) but refers to a completely different concept.

Etymology

Compound of 成 (sei, 'to accomplish') and 算 (san, 'calculation'), literally 'calculation of accomplishment'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with estimating success.