A routing entry generation method and apparatus and a trie generation method and apparatus, such that the routing entry generation method includes: obtaining M first routing entries, where each first routing entry includes a correspondence between a route and an outbound interface, and M≥2; and combining the M first routing entries to generate N second routing entries, where at least one of the N second routing entries includes a correspondence between a common route and an outbound interface, the common route is used to indicate two or more routes, N