# Completion with room remaining: summary

Uses paradoxes of completion appearing incomplete to examine function and quietness.

https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/laozi/chapter-45-completion-with-room-remaining

## Source and summary

[Laozi · Dao De Jing · Completion with room remaining](https://zh.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=%E9%81%93%E5%BE%B7%E7%B6%93%20%28%E7%8E%8B%E5%BC%BC%E6%9C%AC%29&oldid=2354026#%E5%9B%9B%E5%8D%81%E4%BA%94%E7%AB%A0)

> 大成若缺，其用不弊。

Uses paradoxes of completion appearing incomplete to examine function and quietness.

## Editorial interpretation

The example below adapts this chapter’s questions to modern work. Evaluate it against the actual purpose and conditions; ancient politics, warfare or ethics do not establish business results.

## Business application

State usable scope and remaining gaps and invite customer trials rather than prioritizing an appearance of completeness.

1. Choose one relevant case and record its objective, available resources, verified facts and unknowns.
2. Compare options using this chapter’s perspective; choose a limited trial, owner, deadline and a measure to assess the result.

Deliverable: A comparison using completion with room remaining, with conditions for acting or declining.

## Limits

The summary selects main points rather than translating every sentence. The example is not a demonstrated business method; check it against stakeholders’ conditions and actual evidence.

## Validation question

How does this chapter’s perspective change the selected option or priority, and what further evidence could change the decision?

[Laozi: a guide to the Dao De Jing](https://sakimyto.com/en/classics/laozi)

[This material](https://sakimyto.com/classics-data/entries/laozi/chapter-45-completion-with-room-remaining.en.md)

Updated: 2026-10-13 · v1.0.0