This application discloses a communication method and a communications apparatus. The method includes: receiving, by a terminal device, reference signal configuration information sent by a network device, where the reference signal configuration information includes at least one of the following information: a beam sweeping type and a reference signal beam indication; receiving, by the terminal device, a reference signal and data that are sent by the network device; and determining, by the terminal device based on the reference signal configuration information, whether data can be mapped onto another resource element that is located on a same orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol as the reference signal. The corresponding apparatus is further disclosed. According to technical solutions provided in this application, reliable data reception can be implemented.