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Kids like to call grown-ups Uncle & Aunty. Professions can even be uncle & aunty-ized:

警察叔叔

“一个人在家害怕,警察叔叔帮我找爸妈”

In Sichuan there is even 护士娘娘

护士娘娘,我嘴巴干的很,可不可以给我倒杯水啊!

What other professions can be uncle & aunty-ized?

1
  • I think it's actually the other way round - there are only a few professions that aren't called uncle/autie by convention such as 老师 (老师叔叔/阿姨 is rarely heard and sounds unnatural), otherwise you can call them uncle/antie "by default", including the examples listed in the other answer and many others you can think of.
    – NS.X.
    Apr 30, 2016 at 18:47

2 Answers 2

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It is mostly for jobs that require wearing a uniform. The uniform provides a visual cue for children that these are special people who may be able to help them when needed. Note that 司机叔叔/司机阿姨 are for professional drivers, not any driver of a private car.

2
  • Professional driver? Like a chauffeur?
    – Mou某
    Apr 30, 2016 at 23:02
  • @user3306356 I was thinking bus drivers, not someone who's driving his/her own private vehicle.
    – monalisa
    May 1, 2016 at 0:52
0

Here are a few:

  • driver: 司机叔叔/司机阿姨
  • firefighter: 消防(员)叔叔/消防(员)阿姨
  • doctor: 医生叔叔/医生阿姨
  • waiter/waitress: 服务员叔叔/服务员阿姨
  • post officer: 邮差叔叔/邮差阿姨

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