Previously introduced characteristic parameters of solute retention – the solute characteristic temperature (Tchar) and thermal constant (θ) in GC as well as the characteristic solvent composition (ϕchar) and the composition-constant (Φ) in LC – are described herein from a single perspective. Unlike conventional thermodynamic parameters, e.g., entropy and enthalpy of solute evaporation from stationary phase in GC that do not have a direct chromatographic meaning, the characteristic parameters do. Thus, Tchar and ϕchar are the column temperature and the solvent composition in GC and LC, respectively, at which the solute retention factor (k) is equal to 1. Quantities θ and Φ in GC and LC, respectively, are analogous to the time-constant in scientific and technical fields. Thus, e.g., Φ is the increase in the solvent composition leading to e-fold reduction (e ≈ 2.72) in k. Properties of characteristic parameters illustrating intuitive nature and simplicity of based on them concepts and equations are described.