Abstract: In the aerodynamic shape design based on waverider configuration, the waverider surface is deemed to be un-changeable by default, causing many problems for practical application, such as modifying the lower surface and the adjusting the volume. In this article, the concept of waveriding dependent area, WDA for short, is proposed. The WDA represents the area on the waverider surface which determines the main shock wave. Employing the the-ory of characteristics, the method to generate the WDA is firstly to find the flow area which the shock wave de-pends on in the inviscid axisymmetric supersonic flow field. Then taking the flow area as the basic flow field, the generated waveriding surface is the so-called WDA. The range of the WDA is analyzed using the oblique shock equations, and computational fluid dynamics techniques were employed to verifiy the test configurations with different retained waveriding surface area, analyzed the shock wave structure of flow field in symmetrical planes and trailing-edge cross-section, aerodynamic forces and longitudinal stability. It is verified that the only WDA sur-face can maintain the shape of the main shock wave, and the shock waves attached along the leading edge, indicate an evident wave-riding performance. The WDA attempts to determine which range of the waverider surface is al-lowed to be modified or altered. The concept is of importance to enlarge loading volume, reduce drag, improving wide-speed performance and installing an engine inlet for waverider aircraft.