Physical describes anything related to the body or to material things you can touch and see. When your doctor gives you a physical examination, they're checking your body: measuring your height, listening to your heart, testing your reflexes. Physical education class focuses on moving your body through sports, games, and exercise.

The word also describes things that exist in the material world rather than just in your mind or imagination. A physical book is one you can hold in your hands, unlike a story you make up in your head. When scientists study the physical world, they examine actual matter and energy: rocks, plants, light, heat, and sound.

Physical can also mean involving bodily contact or force. Basketball is more physical than chess because players bump into each other and use their strength. A physical reaction might be when you flinch or jump back from something startling.

The opposite of physical is often mental or emotional. While worry happens in your mind, a stomachache is physical. While friendship is emotional, a handshake is physical. Understanding this distinction helps you describe what kind of experience or thing you're talking about: the material world of bodies and objects, or the invisible world of thoughts and feelings.