Example successive cancellation list (SCL) parallel decoding methods and apparatus are described. One example method includes obtaining L.sub.1 first decoding paths of an (i−1).sup.th group of to-be-decoded bits after received data corresponds to P groups of to-be-decoded bits, where i is an integer, P is an integer greater than 1, 1<i≤P, and L.sub.1 is a positive integer. L.sub.3 third decoding paths is determined for each first decoding path, where a quantity of information bits in an i.sup.th group of to-be-decoded bits is n, n is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1, L.sub.3 is a positive integer, and L.sub.3<2.sup.n. At least one reserved decoding path of the i.sup.th group of to-be-decoded bits is determined from L.sub.1×L.sub.3 third decoding paths, where the at least one reserved decoding path includes a decoding result of the i.sup.th group of to-be-decoded bits.