A method for transmitting a reference signal, comprising: receiving, by a terminal, first information sent by a network device, the first information is used for indicating that a transmission pattern for transmitting a downlink demodulation reference signal, DMRS, to be transmitted is one of a first transmission pattern and a second transmission pattern, wherein the first information is carried in a broadcast message transmitted through a physical layer; and performing, by the terminal, reception of the downlink DMRS transmitted by the network device on a transmission resource indicated by one of the first transmission pattern and the second transmission pattern; wherein receiving, by the terminal, the first information sent by the network device comprises: receiving, by the terminal, the first information sent by the network device, wherein a first field in the first information is used for indicating that the transmission pattern for transmitting the downlink DMRS to be transmitted is one of the first transmission pattern and the second transmission pattern; or, receiving, by the terminal, the first information sent by the network device comprises: receiving, by the terminal, the first information sent by the network device, wherein the first information indicates whether the transmission pattern for transmitting the downlink DMRS to be transmitted is one of the first transmission pattern and the second transmission pattern through whether carrying a second field or not. receiving, by a terminal, first information sent by a network device, the first information is used for indicating that a transmission pattern for transmitting a downlink demodulation reference signal, DMRS, to be transmitted is one of a first transmission pattern and a second transmission pattern, wherein the first information is carried in a broadcast message transmitted through a physical layer; and performing, by the terminal, reception of the downlink DMRS transmitted by the network device on a transmission resource indicated by one of the first transmission pattern and the second transmission pattern; wherein receiving, by the terminal, the first information sent by the network device comprises: receiving, by the terminal, the first information sent by the network device, wherein a first field in the first information is used for indicating that the transmission pattern for transmitting the downlink DMRS to be transmitted is one of the first transmission pattern and the second transmission pattern; or, receiving, by the terminal, the first information sent by the network device comprises: receiving, by the terminal, the first information sent by the network device, wherein a first field in the first information is used for indicating that the transmission pattern for transmitting the downlink DMRS to be transmitted is one of the first transmission pattern and the second transmission pattern; or, receiving, by the terminal, the first information sent by the network device comprises: receiving, by the terminal, the first information sent by the network device, wherein the first information indicates whether the transmission pattern for transmitting the downlink DMRS to be transmitted is one of the first transmission pattern and the second transmission pattern through whether carrying a second field or not.