The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for awakening skills by speech, which are applied to an electronic device. The method for awakening skills by speech includes: recognizing awakening text information corresponding to a speech request message to be processed; invoking a service skill semantic model to determine a target service field corresponding to the awakening text information and a corresponding first confidence, and invoking a knowledge skill semantic model to determine a knowledge reply answer corresponding to the awakening text information and a corresponding second confidence; and selecting to awaken one of a knowledge skill and a target service skill corresponding to the target service field based on the first confidence and the second confidence. Accordingly, the probability of erroneously awakening a skill based on the speech message can be reduced.