Purposes <p>To explore the experiences of Chinese undergraduate nursing students in practicing physical examination (PE) skills during clinical rotation.</p> Methods <p>A descriptive-qualitative approach was used. A total of 18 undergraduate nursing students from eight universities were interviewed. The interview outline was developed based on a behavioral system, capability, opportunity, and motivation.</p> Results <p>Based on the capability, opportunity, and motivation, six themes were extracted from undergraduate nursing students: knowledge and skills of physical examinations, departmental support for nursing students, challenges from patients, students’ sense of responsibility, perceived accomplishment of physical examinations, and peer-to-peer communication.</p> Conclusion <p>This study emphasizes the importance of enhancing undergraduate nursing students’ capability, providing opportunities, and fostering their motivation to practice PE skills during clinical rotations. Based on these three dimensions, universities and clinical educators should design effective learning strategies for nursing students to practice PE skills in clinical settings.</p>