减少
jiǎnshǎo · HSK 4
decrease
📉 减 = reduce/subtract + 少 = few/little
减 means subtract or lessen; 少 means few. Together they reinforce the idea of making something smaller in amount. Common pairing with 增加 (zēngjiā, increase) as its opposite.
减 — water 氵 + 咸 (xián, all/salty)
A semantic-phonetic compound. The water radical 氵 gives the meaning, originally suggesting water decreasing or draining away, while 咸 supplies the sound (jiǎn shifted from xián). From 'water lessening' the sense broadened to 'reduce, subtract, diminish' in general use.
少 — 小 (small) + 丿 (slash stroke)
Originally a pictograph showing four small dots or grains, suggesting 'few' or 'small in quantity'. Over time it became distinguished from 小 (small) by adding a downward stroke. The core meaning shifted toward 'few' or 'little in number', while 小 kept the sense of physical smallness.