na-adjective
Describes a person, behavior, or attitude that derives pleasure from cruelty or the suffering of others. Often used in psychological or descriptive contexts.
彼の嗜虐的な性格が周囲を傷つけた。
His sadistic personality hurt those around him.
その映画には嗜虐的なシーンが多く含まれている。
The movie contains many sadistic scenes.
Means 'cruel' or 'brutal' in a general sense, without necessarily implying pleasure in the cruelty. 嗜虐的 specifically includes the element of deriving enjoyment from others' suffering.
Compound of 嗜虐 (shigyaku, 'fondness for cruelty') + 的 (-teki, '-like'). 嗜虐 is itself composed of 嗜 (shi, 'to have a taste for') and 虐 (gyaku, 'oppress' or 'cruelty'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word follows a common pattern for forming adjectival nouns from Sino-Japanese compounds.