The　characteristic　stress　was　proposed　to　comprehensively　reflect　the　acting　stress　and　the　material　physical　properties.　The　two　methods　of　establishing　a　unified　strength　criterion　can　be　unified　under　the　concept　of　the　characteristic　stress,　including　adjusting　the　acting　stress　and　adjusting　the　mobilized　plane.　The　characteristic　stress　is　used　here　to　measure　and　adjust　the　position　of　the　mobilized　plane　which　will　be　called　the　characteristic　mobilized　plane　(CMP).　The　proposed　CMP　can　reflect　the　frictional　rules　of　various　geomaterials,　and　the　shear-normal　stress　ratio　on　the　CMP　is　used　to　directly　establish　a　unified　strength　criterion　for　geomaterials.　The　CMP　can　also　be　taken　as　a　reference　to　propose　a　strength　parameter　for　transversely　isotropic　soils.　By　combining　the　transversely　isotropic　strength　parameter　with　the　CMP　criterion,　a　transversely　isotropic　CMP　(TI-CMP)　criterion　can　be　established.　The　intermediated　principal　stress　effects,　as　well　as　the　effects　of　the　anisotropy　on　the　peak　shear　strength　can　be　described　by　the　proposed　TI-CMP　criterion.　©　2018,　Springer　Nature　Switzerland　AG.