The following information is from NSPCC website:

Physical abuse is deliberately hurting a child causing injuries such as bruises, broken bones, burns or cuts.

It isn't accidental - children who are physically abused suffer violence such as being hit, kicked, poisoned, burned, slapped or having objects thrown at them. Shaking or hitting babies can cause non-accidental head injuries (NAHI). Sometimes parents or carers will make up or cause the symptoms of illness in their child, perhaps giving them medicine they don't need and making the child unwell – this is known as fabricated or induced illness (FII).

There's no excuse for physically abusing a child. It causes serious, and often long-lasting, harm – and in severe cases, death.

Adults who physically abuse children may have:

emotional or behavioural problems such as difficulty controlling their angerfamily or relationship problemsexperienced abuse as a childparenting difficulties including unrealistic expectations of children, not understanding a child's needs or no idea how to respond to a childhealth issues.