The present invention provides a decoding method, a decoding apparatus, and a communications system, which implement multi-level coding in a manner combining soft-decision error correction coding and hard-decision error correction coding, implement multi-level decoding in a manner combining soft-decision error correction decoding and hard-decision error correction decoding, so as to integrate advantages of the two manners: compared with a manner in which soft-decision error correction coding and decoding are performed on multiple levels, a manner in which soft-decision error correction coding and decoding are performed on only one level reduces system complexity and resource overhead; and performing hard-decision error correction coding and decoding on other levels on a basis of performing soft-decision error correction coding and decoding on one level ensures gain performance, thereby meeting a gain requirement of a high-speed optical transmission system.