expression
make the most of every situation; turn anything to profit
Proverb meaning a resourceful person will find a way to benefit even from a mishap. Literally 'even if you fall, you won't get up empty-handed'. Often used to describe someone who never misses a chance to gain something.
See also: 転んでもただでは起きない
彼は転んでもただは起きぬタイプで、失敗からも必ず何かを学ぶ。
He's the type who makes the most of every situation, always learning something even from failure.
転んでもただは起きぬというが、彼女は事故の賠償金で事業を始めた。
As the saying goes, 'turn anything to profit'—she started a business with the accident compensation money.
A more common modern variant with the same meaning, using the negative form 起きない instead of the classical 起きぬ.
A traditional Japanese proverb. The exact origin is uncertain, but it reflects a common cultural value of resourcefulness.