to lower / to decrease / to reduce / to subtract / to diminish
减
=
冫
+
咸
:
Joan of Arc (ji) found that there's a giant popsicle (冫) obstructing the way to the bar inside of the anthill (an3). To clear the way, she reduces (减) the size of the popsicle by scattering salt (咸) all over it.
贫
=
分
+
贝
:
Pocahontas (pi) has the crab (贝) cut her hair while stopping the time with a stopwatch (分) in the encampment's kitchen ((e)n2). While the crab cuts quite fast, the resulting hairstyle is of very poor (贫) quality.