閩南語跌倒、賭博、擲筊三種動作皆讀作[pua□8]，閩南語文獻中經常使用「跋」、「踣」、「博」、「卜」四字示之，其中以「跋」字最普遍。本文藉由語音和語意的辨析，以及和親屬語言的比較，探討閩南語動詞[pua□8]的語源。首先就跌倒而言，「跋」字在各閩語間有規則的語音對應，在語意上「犮」詞族之字，多有「離本」之義，因此跌倒的語源以「跋」字的可能性較大。再就賭博和擲筊而言，「博」、「卜」二字無法直接與[puaʔ8]連結，透過語音層次的分析，方能對應[pua□8]，又就語意上來說，「博」自古便用以表示賭博，「卜」用以表示占卜，因此賭博的語源以「博」字較有可能，擲筊的語源以「卜」字可能性較大。

The verb ＂[pua□8]＂ on Southern Min means ＂to fall＂, ＂to gamble＂, and ＂to divine by bamboo roots＂. In some Southern Min dialect investigations, the verb ＂[pua□8]＂ was documented as 跋, 踣, 博, 卜, etc. This paper concentrates on Southern Min etymon of the verb ＂[pua□8]＂ by explicating strata and lexical history. In conclusion, the Southern Min etymon of ＂to fall＂ is perhaps 跋. The Southern Min etymon of ＂to gamble＂ is perhaps 博. The Southern Min etymon of ＂to divine by bamboo roots＂ is perhaps 卜.