A system information reception method, comprising: determining, by a first terminal device, on duration of the first terminal device; and receiving, by the first terminal device during the on duration of the first terminal device, first system information sent by a second terminal device, wherein the first system information is a part or all of second system information delivered by a base station, characterized in that before the receiving, by the first terminal device, first system information sent by a second terminal device, the method further comprises: receiving, by the first terminal device, indication information sent by the second terminal device, wherein the indication information indicates that the first system information has changed, wherein the on duration of the first terminal device is a paging occasion of the first terminal device, wherein the receiving, by the first terminal device during the on duration of the first terminal device, first system information sent by a second terminal device comprises: receiving, by the first terminal device during the on duration of the first terminal device, the first system information, wherein the first system information is sent by the second terminal device at least one time by using a resource in a sending resource pool, wherein the sending resource pool is configured by the base station by using a broadcast message. determining, by a first terminal device, on duration of the first terminal device; and receiving, by the first terminal device during the on duration of the first terminal device, first system information sent by a second terminal device, wherein the first system information is a part or all of second system information delivered by a base station, characterized in that before the receiving, by the first terminal device, first system information sent by a second terminal device, the method further comprises: receiving, by the first terminal device, indication information sent by the second terminal device, wherein the indication information indicates that the first system information has changed, wherein the on duration of the first terminal device is a paging occasion of the first terminal device, wherein the receiving, by the first terminal device during the on duration of the first terminal device, first system information sent by a second terminal device comprises: receiving, by the first terminal device during the on duration of the first terminal device, the first system information, wherein the first system information is sent by the second terminal device at least one time by using a resource in a sending resource pool, wherein the sending resource pool is configured by the base station by using a broadcast message. receiving, by the first terminal device, indication information sent by the second terminal device, wherein the indication information indicates that the first system information has changed, wherein the on duration of the first terminal device is a paging occasion of the first terminal device, wherein the receiving, by the first terminal device during the on duration of the first terminal device, first system information sent by a second terminal device comprises: receiving, by the first terminal device during the on duration of the first terminal device, the first system information, wherein the first system information is sent by the second terminal device at least one time by using a resource in a sending resource pool, wherein the sending resource pool is configured by the base station by using a broadcast message. the on duration of the first terminal device is a paging occasion of the first terminal device, wherein the receiving, by the first terminal device during the on duration of the first terminal device, first system information sent by a second terminal device comprises: receiving, by the first terminal device during the on duration of the first terminal device, the first system information, wherein the first system information is sent by the second terminal device at least one time by using a resource in a sending resource pool, wherein the sending resource pool is configured by the base station by using a broadcast message.