Provided in an embodiment of the invention are a device-to-device communication method, a terminal device, and a network device. The method includes that: a first terminal transmits a first message to a network device, the first terminal being used to request acquisition of attribute information of a second terminal; the first terminal receives a second message transmitted by the network device, the second message being used to indicate the attribute information of the second terminal; and the first terminal performs data transmission with the second terminal on the basis of the attribute information of the second terminal. The embodiment of the invention can increase a probability of successful data transmission in D2D communication.