减掉 is a separable verb meaning 'to cut down' or 'to subtract', often used for removing something unwanted—especially weight, expenses, or unnecessary elements. The first character 减 means 'to reduce' or 'to subtract', while the particle 掉 indicates completion or removal, adding a sense of definitiveness: whatever is being reduced is gone for good. Together, they convey an active, intentional act of elimination.

This word is commonly used in health and lifestyle contexts (e.g., losing weight), finance (cutting costs), or daily life (removing clutter). It’s more concrete and result-oriented than just 减; 掉 emphasizes that the reduction leads to full removal or disappearance. It’s usually followed by a direct object (e.g., 减掉脂肪, 减掉开支) and often appears in imperative or past-tense constructions.