A method for multi-user scheduling in a MIMO system, comprising: determining, by a base station, at least one usable codebook for N user equipments, UEs in a codebook set, and sending a precoding matrix indicator PMI of the at least one usable codebook to the N UEs; determining, by the base station, a virtual antenna mapping matrix according to the at least one usable codebook and a preset equivalent codebook; precoding, by the base station, a common pilot signal or a channel state information-reference signal by using the virtual antenna mapping matrix, and sending the precoded common pilot signal or channel state information-reference signal to the N UEs, so that the N UEs perform channel measurement according to the common pilot signal or the channel state information-reference signal, to obtain the PMIs, and the CQIs of the first codewords and the second codewords; receiving, by the base station, precoding matrix indicators, PMIs, selected by the N UEs from the PMI of the at least one usable codebook and channel quality indicators, CQIs of first codewords and second codewords, wherein the PMIs and the CQIs are fed back by N user equipments, UEs, and N is a positive integer greater than 1; dividing, by the base station, the N UEs into M pairing groups according to the PMIs fed back by the N UEs, wherein PMIs of all UEs in a same pairing group are the same, and M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1; for each pairing group, computing, by the base station, a scheduling priority of a first codeword of each UE in the each pairing group according to CQIs of first codewords of all UEs in the each pairing group, and computing a scheduling priority of a second codeword of each UE in the each pairing group according to CQIs of second codewords of all the UEs in the each pairing group; determining, by the base station, a user pairing combination of the each pairing group according to scheduling priorities of the first codewords of all the UEs in the each pairing group and scheduling priorities of the second codewords of all the UEs in the each pairing group, wherein the user pairing combination comprises two UEs; determining, by the base station, an optimal user pairing combination according to scheduling priorities of first codewords of UEs in M user pairing combinations of the M pairing groups and scheduling priorities of second codewords of the UEs in the M user pairing combinations of the M pairing groups, wherein two UEs in the optimal user pairing combination are different; scheduling, by the base station, the two UEs in the optimal user pairing combination simultaneously, comprising: when scheduling the UEs in the optimal user pairing combination simultaneously, precoding, by the base station by using the equivalent codebook, data to be sent to the UEs in the optimal user pairing combination. determining, by a base station, at least one usable codebook for N user equipments, UEs in a codebook set, and sending a precoding matrix indicator PMI of the at least one usable codebook to the N UEs; determining, by the base station, a virtual antenna mapping matrix according to the at least one usable codebook and a preset equivalent codebook; precoding, by the base station, a common pilot signal or a channel state information-reference signal by using the virtual antenna mapping matrix, and sending the precoded common pilot signal or channel state information-reference signal to the N UEs, so that the N UEs perform channel measurement according to the common pilot signal or the channel state information-reference signal, to obtain the PMIs, and the CQIs of the first codewords and the second codewords; receiving, by the base station, precoding matrix indicators, PMIs, selected by the N UEs from the PMI of the at least one usable codebook and channel quality indicators, CQIs of first codewords and second codewords, wherein the PMIs and the CQIs are fed back by N user equipments, UEs, and N is a positive integer greater than 1; dividing, by the base station, the N UEs into M pairing groups according to the PMIs fed back by the N UEs, wherein PMIs of all UEs in a same pairing group are the same, and M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1; for each pairing group, computing, by the base station, a scheduling priority of a first codeword of each UE in the each pairing group according to CQIs of first codewords of all UEs in the each pairing group, and computing a scheduling priority of a second codeword of each UE in the each pairing group according to CQIs of second codewords of all the UEs in the each pairing group; determining, by the base station, a user pairing combination of the each pairing group according to scheduling priorities of the first codewords of all the UEs in the each pairing group and scheduling priorities of the second codewords of all the UEs in the each pairing group, wherein the user pairing combination comprises two UEs; determining, by the base station, an optimal user pairing combination according to scheduling priorities of first codewords of UEs in M user pairing combinations of the M pairing groups and scheduling priorities of second codewords of the UEs in the M user pairing combinations of the M pairing groups, wherein two UEs in the optimal user pairing combination are different; scheduling, by the base station, the two UEs in the optimal user pairing combination simultaneously, comprising: when scheduling the UEs in the optimal user pairing combination simultaneously, precoding, by the base station by using the equivalent codebook, data to be sent to the UEs in the optimal user pairing combination.