A data processing method, comprising: dividing, by a terminal, data to be sent by the terminal on Q resource elements into G k layers of data, wherein the terminal is one of a plurality of terminals scheduled by a network device on the Q resource elements, the network device receives a maximum of G layers of data on the Q resource elements from the plurality of terminals, wherein G k is a positive integer, G k <G, Q is a positive integer, and Q<G; performing, by the terminal, basic modulation on each of the G k layers of data to obtain D k basic modulation symbols, wherein D k ≥G k, and D k is a positive integer; combining, by the terminal, the D k basic modulation symbols to obtain a combined symbol vector X k; and mapping, by the terminal, the symbol vector X k to the Q resource elements to obtain a data vector S k, wherein the mapping, by the terminal, the symbol vector X k to the Q resource elements to obtain a data vector S k is: mapping, by the terminal, the symbol vector X k to the Q resource elements by using a preprocessing operation to obtain the data vector S k, wherein the preprocessing operation comprises at least spreading and superposition, said method being characterized in that: the preprocessing operation is: performing power adjustment first, then performing angle rotation, and then performing spreading and superposition; or performing angle rotation first, then performing power adjustment, and then performing spreading and superposition; or performing power adjustment and angle rotation first at the same time (420,430), and then performing spreading and superposition; or performing power adjustment, angle rotation, and spreading and superposition at the same time (420,430,440), and in that in the basic modulation, each layer has a different constellation diagram and outputs a different quantity of symbols. dividing, by a terminal, data to be sent by the terminal on Q resource elements into G k layers of data, wherein the terminal is one of a plurality of terminals scheduled by a network device on the Q resource elements, the network device receives a maximum of G layers of data on the Q resource elements from the plurality of terminals, wherein G k is a positive integer, G k <G, Q is a positive integer, and Q<G; performing, by the terminal, basic modulation on each of the G k layers of data to obtain D k basic modulation symbols, wherein D k ≥G k, and D k is a positive integer; combining, by the terminal, the D k basic modulation symbols to obtain a combined symbol vector X k; and mapping, by the terminal, the symbol vector X k to the Q resource elements to obtain a data vector S k, wherein the mapping, by the terminal, the symbol vector X k to the Q resource elements to obtain a data vector S k is: mapping, by the terminal, the symbol vector X k to the Q resource elements by using a preprocessing operation to obtain the data vector S k, wherein the preprocessing operation comprises at least spreading and superposition, said method being characterized in that: the preprocessing operation is: performing power adjustment first, then performing angle rotation, and then performing spreading and superposition; or performing angle rotation first, then performing power adjustment, and then performing spreading and superposition; or performing power adjustment and angle rotation first at the same time (420,430), and then performing spreading and superposition; or performing power adjustment, angle rotation, and spreading and superposition at the same time (420,430,440), and in that in the basic modulation, each layer has a different constellation diagram and outputs a different quantity of symbols. performing power adjustment first, then performing angle rotation, and then performing spreading and superposition; or performing angle rotation first, then performing power adjustment, and then performing spreading and superposition; or performing power adjustment and angle rotation first at the same time (420,430), and then performing spreading and superposition; or performing power adjustment, angle rotation, and spreading and superposition at the same time (420,430,440), and in that in the basic modulation, each layer has a different constellation diagram and outputs a different quantity of symbols.