Real Image
Definition
An image formed where light rays actually meet — it can be projected onto a screen.
Technical definition
An image formed by the convergence of real light rays at the image location. Real images are inverted and can be captured on a screen placed at the image plane.
Example
A movie projector forms a real image: light rays from the film converge through the lens and land on the screen, where you could hold up a sheet of paper and still see the picture.
Common confusion
Real does not mean 'looks realistic' — it means the rays physically converge there. A real image is always inverted (upside down), which surprises students expecting it to look normal. If you cannot project it onto a card, it is not real: the image in your bathroom mirror is virtual, no matter how lifelike it looks.