Refers to the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. Cross-referenced with ケッテイ (hinny), which is the offspring of a male horse and a female donkey.
See also: ケッテイ
A mule is a cross between a horse and a donkey.
Mules are used to carry loads on mountain paths.
Katakana spelling is standard; the word is usually written in kana.
Kanji form is rare and may not be widely recognized.
Hiragana spelling, also common.
The reading ラバ is likely borrowed from Portuguese or Spanish 'mula' (mule), adapted into Japanese. The kanji 騾馬 are Chinese characters for mule, but the word is usually written in kana.