The word 减少 is formed by combining two characters, each contributing its core meaning to create a new, unified concept. The first character, 减, means "to subtract" or "to diminish", indicating an action of reduction. The second character, 少, means "few" or "less", describing a state or quantity. When placed together, they form a compound where the action (减) logically leads to the resulting state (少), effectively conveying the complete idea of "to decrease" or "to reduce".