The　strength　criterion　of　frozen　soil　is　necessary　for　the　evaluation　of　failure　problems　of　the　engineering　constructed　in　cold　regions　or　by　artificial　ground　freezing　method.　Due　to　the　combining　effect　of　stress　conditions　and　temperature,　the　unique　feature　of　the　three-stage　development　in　shear　strength　of　frozen　soils　has　been　widely　recognized.　However,　the　existing　theories　are　found　hard　to　uniformly　describe　this　characteristic　for　various　frozen　soils.　In　this　work,　we　carried　out　an　analysis　of　the　shear　strength　characteristics　of　frozen　soil　based　on　the　available　test　results.　A　novel　strength　criterion　is　proposed,　in　which　the　total　shear　strength　consists　of　the　basic　strength　qf　and　the　special　contribution　strength　qi.　By　combining　the　basic　strength　in　the　power　function　form　and　a　newly　proposed　special　contribution　strength,　the　theoretical　description　of　the　threestage　shear　strength　variation　is　suggested.　In　addition,　the　expression　of　the　generalized　nonlinear　strength　theory　(GNST)　in　the　deviatoric　plane　is　introduced　to　capture　the　effect　of　the　intermediate　principal　stress　ratio.　Therefore,　a　three-stage　strength　criterion　(3SSC)　for　frozen　soil　is　established,　whose　characteristics　are　analyzed.　Determination　methods　of　parameters　and　their　relationship　with　temperature　are　also　given.　The　performance　of　the　3SSC　and　the　comparison　with　test　results　show　that　the　3SSC　is　applicable　to　capture　the　salient　behaviour　of　the　shear　response　of　frozen　soil.