A reference signal mapping method, comprising steps of: determining a position of a Resource Element, RE, to which a Channel State Information-Reference Signal, CSI-RS, has been mapped in accordance with an N-port reference signal pattern, N being equal to 12 or 16, the position of the RE to which the CSI-RS has been mapped in the N-port reference signal pattern being determined in accordance with a position of the RE to which the CSI-RS has been mapped in one or more of a 2-port reference signal pattern, a 4-port reference signal pattern and an 8-port reference signal pattern; and performing a resource mapping operation on the CSI-RS in accordance with the determined position of the RE, characterized in that positions of four REs of the twelve REs to which a group of CSI-RSs have been mapped in the 12-port reference signal pattern are identical to positions of four of the eight REs to which the first group of CSI-RSs have been mapped in the 8-port reference signal pattern, and the remaining eight REs are distributed in one of the following two modes: a first distribution mode where four of the remaining eight REs are located at positions identical to four of the eight REs to which the second group of CSI-RSs have been mapped in the 8-port reference signal pattern, and the other four of the remaining eight REs are located at positions identical to four of the eight REs to which the third group of CSI-RSs have been mapped in the 8-port reference signal pattern; and a second distribution mode where four of the remaining eight REs are located at positions identical to four of the eight REs to which the second group of CSI-RSs have been mapped in the 8-port reference signal pattern, and the other four of the remaining eight REs are REs to which no reference signal has been mapped in the 8-port reference signal pattern. determining a position of a Resource Element, RE, to which a Channel State Information-Reference Signal, CSI-RS, has been mapped in accordance with an N-port reference signal pattern, N being equal to 12 or 16, the position of the RE to which the CSI-RS has been mapped in the N-port reference signal pattern being determined in accordance with a position of the RE to which the CSI-RS has been mapped in one or more of a 2-port reference signal pattern, a 4-port reference signal pattern and an 8-port reference signal pattern; and performing a resource mapping operation on the CSI-RS in accordance with the determined position of the RE, characterized in that positions of four REs of the twelve REs to which a group of CSI-RSs have been mapped in the 12-port reference signal pattern are identical to positions of four of the eight REs to which the first group of CSI-RSs have been mapped in the 8-port reference signal pattern, and the remaining eight REs are distributed in one of the following two modes: a first distribution mode where four of the remaining eight REs are located at positions identical to four of the eight REs to which the second group of CSI-RSs have been mapped in the 8-port reference signal pattern, and the other four of the remaining eight REs are located at positions identical to four of the eight REs to which the third group of CSI-RSs have been mapped in the 8-port reference signal pattern; and a second distribution mode where four of the remaining eight REs are located at positions identical to four of the eight REs to which the second group of CSI-RSs have been mapped in the 8-port reference signal pattern, and the other four of the remaining eight REs are REs to which no reference signal has been mapped in the 8-port reference signal pattern. a first distribution mode where four of the remaining eight REs are located at positions identical to four of the eight REs to which the second group of CSI-RSs have been mapped in the 8-port reference signal pattern, and the other four of the remaining eight REs are located at positions identical to four of the eight REs to which the third group of CSI-RSs have been mapped in the 8-port reference signal pattern; and a second distribution mode where four of the remaining eight REs are located at positions identical to four of the eight REs to which the second group of CSI-RSs have been mapped in the 8-port reference signal pattern, and the other four of the remaining eight REs are REs to which no reference signal has been mapped in the 8-port reference signal pattern.