Embodiments provide a channel listening type indication method and apparatus. In those embodiments, the method includes: determining, by a network device based on a relationship between a first sub-band set and a second sub-band set, a corresponding channel listening type for performing channel listening by a terminal device for the first sub-band set, where the first sub-band set includes at least one sub-band occupied when the network device schedules the terminal device to send uplink information, the second sub-band set includes at least one sub-band occupied by the network device to send downlink information, and the channel listening type includes a long listening type or a short listening type; and sending, by the network device, first indication information to the terminal device, where the first indication information is used to indicate the channel listening type.