noun
pack animal
Rare term for a beast of burden, such as a horse or donkey used for carrying loads. More common synonyms include 荷役動物 or 駄載動物.
昔の街道では、駄獣が荷物を運んでいた。
On the old highways, pack animals carried the goods.
Compound of 駄 (da, 'burden; pack') and 獣 (jū, 'beast; animal'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the kanji combination directly conveys the meaning of a load-carrying animal.