It's the difference between a pass and a fail.

这是及格和不及格的区别。

《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》

There are certain tests that fail at times and pass at most other times.

某些测试有时候会失败，但是在大多数时候会顺利通过。

youdao

Since these are expected occurrences, the daily pass/fail graphing (although popular) isn't a useful indication of the actual health of the product.

由于这些是预期的事故，所以每日的通过/失败图表（尽管很流行）不是实际的产品健康的有用的指示。

youdao

In fact one of the frankly best things I ever did as an undergraduate was, perhaps fittingly, take this course pass-fail.

实际上我上本科时做的最得意的事,恰当地说，就是把这门课的成绩看成及格和不及格两种。

哈佛公开课 - 计算机科学课程节选

In fact, if that person has a 48 and the first person who had the weaker score has a 46, I could still pass the person with the 46, and fail the person with the 48.

事实上，如果这个人得了48分，而第一个人,得分低一点，是46分，我还是会让46分的人通过，而让48分的人挂科。

麻省理工公开课 - 固态化学导论课程节选

So you may take this course ultimately via pass-fail or letter grade and I am more than happy to chat with you about the implications and to sign any paper work such as the stack here that you might need.

你可能希望这门课采用及格-不及格分制或者分数制,我很乐意跟你聊下,两个打分制各自的含义,也可以帮你在这里签到。

哈佛公开课 - 计算机科学课程节选

The investments are monitored and funds are removed if they fail to pass the quarterly screening.

FORBES: 5 Characteristics of a Great 401(k) Plan

If we fail to pass this agreement, we will embolden the purveyors of false populism in our hemisphere.

NPR: Text of Bush's State of the Union Address

The most common industries that fail to pass SRI negative screening are tobacco, alcohol, mining, forestry, and weapons.

FORBES: Philanthropy, Now Yielding Financial Returns