Is discipline by physical means abuse?

So I have come across multiple posts on this app where people have said slapping/whooping a child to discipline them amounts to abuse. I am not talking about hitting a child out of frustration or for no fault of his/hers..

I come from a community where whooping a child is common... I guess in india, china, and many countries in south east Asia whooping is like as common as any other thing... though I will admit things have changed a bit in last few years but still it's pretty common... I mean getting beaten by parents is the only thing keeping many kids from doing stupid stuff... and so many people saying a slap is a abuse is like shocking for me...

do you really think that it amounts to abuse? Or do you believe in "spare the rod and spoil the child"