In this study we systematically investigate the effects of laterally inhomogeneous crustal structure with planar dipping interfaces on the teleseismic receiver function. For this purpose the synthetic receiver functions in the 3-D laterally inhomogeneous media are computed using the Maslov asymptotic ray method (CHEN, LIU, 1999). Our results demonstrate that the symmetric and asymmetric variations above the sources azimuths appear on the radial and transverse components of the receiver function, respectively. The dipping direction and dipping angle of the interface beneath the station can be estimated from these features. But, when several different dipping interfaces exist within the crust, only an apparent dipping direction can be inferred from the waveform variations of the receiver function over different azimuths at a single station. By analyzing our observational data it is shown that the planar dipping interface is a well first-order approximation for investigating the crustal lateral inhomogeneity, when only data recorded at a single station are used. And our results given in this study are consistent with those given by seismic array study. In this study we systematically investigate the effects of laterally inhomogeneous crustal structure with planar dipping interfaces on the teleseismic receiver function. For this purpose the synthetic receiver functions in the 3-D laterally inhomogeneous media are computed using the Maslov asymptotic ray method (CHEN, LIU , 1999). Our results demonstrate that the symmetric and asymmetric variations above the sources azimuths appear on the radial and transverse components of the receiver function, respectively. The dipping direction and dipping angle of the interface beneath the station can be estimated from these features. But, when several different dipping interfaces exist within the crust, only an apparent dipping direction can be inferred from the waveform variations of the receiver function over different azimuths at a single station. By analyzing our observational data it is shown that the planar dipping interface is a well first-order approximation for investigating the crustal l ateral inhomogeneity, when only data recorded at a single station are used. And our results given in this study are consistent with those given by seismic array study.