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The influence of frost stress during the jointing stage in winter wheat was examined for original tillers (OT), regenerated tillers (RT) and the yield components of the cultivars Yumai 18, Zhoumai 18 and Yanzhan 4110. Ear number per plant, kernel number per ear, 1000-kernel weight and yield per plant were recorded under a range of subfreezing temperatures (−1, −3, −5, −7 and −9°C). The results were modelled by linear and quadratic regression. In the quadratic model, ear number per plant and yield per plant of the three cultivars were all significant (P< 0.001) and their fitted curves showed a concave-downward parabolic trend as the subfreezing temperature decreased. By analysing the change characteristics of ear number and yield per plant of OT and RT following frost treatment, it was found that OT decreased and RT increased resulting in the concave-downward parabolic yield trend. Final ear number and yield were the result of these opposing behaviours with OT and RT partly offsetting one another and thus tending to stabilize yield loss. The resulting compensatory behaviour of the three cultivars showed obvious differences with the RT of Yumai 18 making the greatest contribution to grain yield. The work offers the potential for creating a rational basis for selecting cultivars having improved frost resistance based on recording their tillering behaviour under low-temperature conditions.