A channel sense method, a network side device, and a terminal includes determining, by a network side device, a first sense resource used by a terminal to perform channel sense, where the first sense resource is another resource other than a resource in a cell in which the terminal is located and that is used by each terminal to perform data transmission; and sending first sense indication information to the terminal, where the first sense indication information is used to indicate the first sense resource. When the terminal performs sense on the first sense resource, another terminal in a same cell does not receive or send data on the first sense resource. If the terminal senses an interference signal, it can be determined that the interference signal is not an interference signal generated when the other terminal in this cell performs data transmission.