A network performance parameter sending method includes: obtaining, by a first network node, a segment identifier of a second network node in a segment list of a packet, where the second network node is a next-hop segment node of the first network node on a forwarding path of the packet; and adding, by the first network node, a network performance parameter of the first network node to the segment list, and then sending the packet to the second network node. In a process of forwarding the packet by using the segment list in the packet, the first network node uses the segment list to carry the network performance parameter of the network node.