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.
灾
=
宀
+
火
:
Zorro (z) just earned his PhD and is celebrating it with a bonfire (火) in front of the airplane (ai1), but then he accidentally drops his graduation cap (宀) and his certificate into the fire! What a disaster (灾)!