Example methods and apparatus for sending an uplink control channel and receiving an uplink control channel are described. One example method for sending an uplink control channel includes determining a resource set to be used for an uplink control channel by a terminal device, where the uplink control channel carries uplink control information and a demodulation reference signal (DMRS). The resource set includes N resource subsets, each of the N resource subsets includes a plurality of consecutive symbols in time domain, and N is greater than or equal to 1. The terminal device determines, for each of the N resource subsets, a quantity of symbols used to carry the DMRS, where the quantity of symbols is one of at least two candidate symbol quantities. The terminal device sends the uplink control channel by using the resource set.