Objective Traditional gully classification systems focus on agricultural landscapes. However, on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, where human activity is limited, gullies primarily occur in natural landscapes. Therefore, it is necessary to propose a tailored gully classification system that is suited to the natural landscapes of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.Methods Extensive field investigations were conducted in typical regions of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, including the Yarlung Zangbo River and its two tributaries, the Southeast Xizang, the Qiangtang Plateau, the Three-River Headwaters region, the Hehuang Valley, the Qaidam Basin, and the Qilian Mountains. These field studies were complemented by indoor interpretations using sub-meter high-resolution remote sensing imagery.Results Various landforms that resemble but are not gullies in terms of genesis or morphology were identified and distinguished. The gullies were classified based on multiple criteria, including scale, genesis, the landform in which they developed, and morphology. The gullies were classified by scale into small, medium, large, and giant gullies; by genesis into rainfall-runoff gullies, snowmelt-mudflow gullies, glacial gullies, permafrost-thermal gullies, and human activity gullies; by the landform in which they developed into steep-slope gullies, valley-bottom gullies, gentle-slope gullies, cliff gullies, terrace gullies, tableland-edge gullies, and tableland-surface gullies; and by morphology into straight gullies, curved gullies, spoon-shaped gullies, strip-shaped gullies, widened gullies, narrow-long gullies, wide-short gullies, radial gullies, parallel gullies, and dendritic gullies.Conclusion This study preliminarily proposes a comprehensive gully classification system based on multiple criteria suitable for the characteristics of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. It suggests using scale as the primary basis for comparison with gully classification systems in other regions, such as the Loess Plateau, and provides support for soil erosion research and ecological environment protection on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.