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Kanji for Success
The kanji most commonly used for "Success" are 功、成.
功
Kanji that mean Success
功 (kō) is achievement — merit earned by work. The character joins 工, work, with 力, strength: effort that produced something. 成功 (seikō), the everyday word for success, pairs it with 成, “to become, to accomplish”: literally “achievement completed”. 功績 is a person’s accomplishments; 年功 is seniority, merit accumulated by years.
成 (sei / nari) is the other half: becoming, completion, growth — 成長 (growth), 完成 (completion), 成人 (an adult; one who has become). Where 功 is the medal, 成 is the process.
Around them sit the celebratory characters: 勝 (victory over someone), 栄 (glory, flourishing), 達 (attainment), and 吉 (good fortune). English “success” covers all of this; Japanese lets you say which kind you mean.
Words using Success kanji
Everyday Japanese vocabulary built from the characters above.
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成功
せいこう
success; achievement; succeeding (in life)
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成長
せいちょう
growth; development; growing up
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功績
こうせき
achievement; meritorious deed; distinguished service
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成果
せいか
(good) result; outcome; fruits (of one's labors)
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功労
こうろう
meritorious deed; services
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成立
せいりつ
formation; establishment; materialization
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年功序列
ねんこうじょれつ
seniority by length of service
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編成
へんせい
composition; formation; organization
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奏功
そうこう
success; achievement; fruition
Before you use Success kanji
For success as earned achievement, 功 is precise and dignified; 成 alone reads as "become" and needs its partner. The full word 成功 is unambiguous if you want the plain meaning. If your sense of success is closer to victory or glory, 勝 or 栄 say those instead — pick the character for the kind of success you mean.