A dynamic random access memory (DRAM) refresh method in which a to-be-refreshed area in a refresh block is specified in a refresh instruction is provided to refresh a specified location of a DRAM storage array. A memory controller sends a refresh instruction to a DRAM refresh apparatus. The refresh instruction includes an identifier of a to-be-refreshed block and refresh information indicating a to-be-refreshed area. The DRAM refresh apparatus generates addresses of to-be-refreshed bank rows in the to-be-refreshed block according to the identifier and the refresh information, and refresh locations corresponding to the addresses of the bank rows in the to-be-refreshed block. Therefore, a DRAM refresh time is shortened, refresh power consumption is reduced, a refresh operation is more flexible, and system resource consumption is reduced while data integrity is ensured.