Refers to a person who begs for money or goods; somewhat old-fashioned or literary in modern usage.
In the old days, beggars often stood in the streets.
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms 物貰い and 物もらい are less common.
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; less common than pure kana.
Kanji spelling; may be encountered but kana is preferred.
Compound of 物 (もの, 'thing') + もらい (continuative form of もらう, 'to receive'), literally 'thing-receiver'. The 'sty' sense is said to come from the old folk belief that a sty could be cured by receiving something from another person.