Disclosed are a simulation hardware button operation method and a touch screen terminal. In the touch screen terminal, the network node of at least one pixel in the upper boundary region of a touch screen is arranged on the inner side surface of the terminal housing outside of the touch screen, and when a detection reporting unit detects a touch sensing unit sensing through the network node an user operating the touch button of the terminal, the detection reporting unit reports the corresponding pixel information of the sensed network node; an operation confirmation unit confirms the function of the operation to the touch button by the user according to the report of the detection reporting unit. Thus the location of the simulation hardware button of the touch screen terminal can be flexibly arranged at any location on the housing of the terminal outside of the touch screen.