This application discloses a protocol data unit generation method, a configuration method, an apparatus, and an electronic device. The protocol data unit generation method is applied to a terminal, and the method includes: generating, by a media access control MAC entity of the terminal, a MAC protocol data unit PDU for a currently scheduled hybrid automatic repeat request HARQ entity according to at least one of the following: first indication information sent by a network-side device, second indication information sent by a physical layer entity to the MAC entity, and a configuration of the terminal; and sending, by the MAC entity, the generated MAC PDU to the physical layer entity.