diff --git a/dns/router.go b/dns/router.go
index e7980c1e4..0ad1b0c30 100644
--- a/dns/router.go
+++ b/dns/router.go
@@ -475,7 +475,7 @@ type exchangeWithRulesResult struct {
 	err          error
 }
 
-const dnsRespondMissingResponseMessage = "respond action requires a saved DNS response from a preceding evaluate action"
+const dnsRespondMissingResponseMessage = "respond action requires an evaluated response from a preceding evaluate action"
 
 func (r *Router) exchangeWithRules(ctx context.Context, rules []adapter.DNSRule, message *mDNS.Msg, options adapter.DNSQueryOptions, allowFakeIP bool) exchangeWithRulesResult {
 	metadata := adapter.ContextFrom(ctx)
@@ -483,11 +483,11 @@ func (r *Router) exchangeWithRules(ctx context.Context, rules []adapter.DNSRule,
 		panic("no context")
 	}
 	effectiveOptions := options
-	var savedResponse *mDNS.Msg
-	var savedTransport adapter.DNSTransport
+	var evaluatedResponse *mDNS.Msg
+	var evaluatedTransport adapter.DNSTransport
 	for currentRuleIndex, currentRule := range rules {
 		metadata.ResetRuleCache()
-		metadata.DNSResponse = savedResponse
+		metadata.DNSResponse = evaluatedResponse
 		metadata.DestinationAddressMatchFromResponse = false
 		if !currentRule.Match(metadata) {
 			continue
@@ -502,8 +502,8 @@ func (r *Router) exchangeWithRules(ctx context.Context, rules []adapter.DNSRule,
 			switch status {
 			case dnsRouteStatusMissing:
 				r.logger.ErrorContext(ctx, "transport not found: ", action.Server)
-				savedResponse = nil
-				savedTransport = nil
+				evaluatedResponse = nil
+				evaluatedTransport = nil
 				continue
 			case dnsRouteStatusSkipped:
 				continue
@@ -518,21 +518,21 @@ func (r *Router) exchangeWithRules(ctx context.Context, rules []adapter.DNSRule,
 					return exchangeWithRulesResult{err: err}
 				}
 				r.logger.ErrorContext(ctx, E.Cause(err, "exchange failed for ", FormatQuestion(message.Question[0].String())))
-				savedResponse = nil
-				savedTransport = nil
+				evaluatedResponse = nil
+				evaluatedTransport = nil
 				continue
 			}
-			savedResponse = response
-			savedTransport = transport
+			evaluatedResponse = response
+			evaluatedTransport = transport
 		case *R.RuleActionRespond:
-			if savedResponse == nil {
+			if evaluatedResponse == nil {
 				return exchangeWithRulesResult{
 					err: E.New(dnsRespondMissingResponseMessage),
 				}
 			}
 			return exchangeWithRulesResult{
-				response:  savedResponse,
-				transport: savedTransport,
+				response:  evaluatedResponse,
+				transport: evaluatedTransport,
 			}
 		case *R.RuleActionDNSRoute:
 			queryOptions := effectiveOptions
diff --git a/dns/router_test.go b/dns/router_test.go
index 2227e0d82..aff6a318d 100644
--- a/dns/router_test.go
+++ b/dns/router_test.go
@@ -1956,7 +1956,7 @@ func TestExchangeLegacyDNSModeDisabledEvaluateExchangeFailureUsesMatchResponseBo
 	}
 }
 
-func TestExchangeLegacyDNSModeDisabledRespondReturnsSavedResponse(t *testing.T) {
+func TestExchangeLegacyDNSModeDisabledRespondReturnsEvaluatedResponse(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
 	var exchanges []string
@@ -2008,7 +2008,7 @@ func TestExchangeLegacyDNSModeDisabledRespondReturnsSavedResponse(t *testing.T)
 	require.Equal(t, []netip.Addr{netip.MustParseAddr("1.1.1.1")}, MessageToAddresses(response))
 }
 
-func TestLookupLegacyDNSModeDisabledRespondReturnsSavedResponse(t *testing.T) {
+func TestLookupLegacyDNSModeDisabledRespondReturnsEvaluatedResponse(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
 	defaultTransport := &fakeDNSTransport{tag: "default", transportType: C.DNSTypeUDP}
@@ -2065,7 +2065,7 @@ func TestLookupLegacyDNSModeDisabledRespondReturnsSavedResponse(t *testing.T) {
 	}, addresses)
 }
 
-func TestExchangeLegacyDNSModeDisabledRespondWithoutSavedResponseReturnsError(t *testing.T) {
+func TestExchangeLegacyDNSModeDisabledRespondWithoutEvaluatedResponseReturnsError(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
 	defaultTransport := &fakeDNSTransport{tag: "default", transportType: C.DNSTypeUDP}
diff --git a/docs/configuration/dns/rule.md b/docs/configuration/dns/rule.md
index ef5110eed..190192df4 100644
--- a/docs/configuration/dns/rule.md
+++ b/docs/configuration/dns/rule.md
@@ -497,7 +497,7 @@ Enable response-based matching. When enabled, this rule matches against DNS resp
 (set by a preceding [`evaluate`](/configuration/dns/rule_action/#evaluate) action)
 instead of only matching the original query.
 
-The saved response can also be returned directly by a later [`respond`](/configuration/dns/rule_action/#respond) action.
+The evaluated response can also be returned directly by a later [`respond`](/configuration/dns/rule_action/#respond) action.
 
 Required for Response Match Fields (`response_rcode`, `response_answer`, `response_ns`, `response_extra`).
 Also required for `ip_cidr` and `ip_is_private` when used with `evaluate` or Response Match Fields.
@@ -618,7 +618,7 @@ Match any IP with query response.
 Match fields for DNS response data. Require `match_response` to be set to `true`
 and a preceding rule with [`evaluate`](/configuration/dns/rule_action/#evaluate) action to populate the response.
 
-That saved response may also be returned directly by a later [`respond`](/configuration/dns/rule_action/#respond) action.
+That evaluated response may also be returned directly by a later [`respond`](/configuration/dns/rule_action/#respond) action.
 
 #### response_rcode
 
diff --git a/docs/configuration/dns/rule.zh.md b/docs/configuration/dns/rule.zh.md
index 4fc505891..fb215b0c0 100644
--- a/docs/configuration/dns/rule.zh.md
+++ b/docs/configuration/dns/rule.zh.md
@@ -495,7 +495,7 @@ Available values: `wifi`, `cellular`, `ethernet` and `other`.
 
 启用响应匹配。启用后，此规则将匹配 DNS 响应数据（由前序 [`evaluate`](/zh/configuration/dns/rule_action/#evaluate) 动作设置），而不仅是匹配原始查询。
 
-该已保存的响应也可以被后续的 [`respond`](/zh/configuration/dns/rule_action/#respond) 动作直接返回。
+该已评估的响应也可以被后续的 [`respond`](/zh/configuration/dns/rule_action/#respond) 动作直接返回。
 
 响应匹配字段（`response_rcode`、`response_answer`、`response_ns`、`response_extra`）需要此选项。
 当与 `evaluate` 或响应匹配字段一起使用时，`ip_cidr` 和 `ip_is_private` 也需要此选项。
@@ -617,7 +617,7 @@ Available values: `wifi`, `cellular`, `ethernet` and `other`.
 DNS 响应数据的匹配字段。需要将 `match_response` 设为 `true`，
 且需要前序规则使用 [`evaluate`](/zh/configuration/dns/rule_action/#evaluate) 动作来填充响应。
 
-该已保存的响应也可以被后续的 [`respond`](/zh/configuration/dns/rule_action/#respond) 动作直接返回。
+该已评估的响应也可以被后续的 [`respond`](/zh/configuration/dns/rule_action/#respond) 动作直接返回。
 
 #### response_rcode
 
diff --git a/docs/configuration/dns/rule_action.md b/docs/configuration/dns/rule_action.md
index 6e44fbb9c..678053e61 100644
--- a/docs/configuration/dns/rule_action.md
+++ b/docs/configuration/dns/rule_action.md
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ Will override `dns.client_subnet`.
 }
 ```
 
-`evaluate` sends a DNS query to the specified server and saves the response for subsequent rules
+`evaluate` sends a DNS query to the specified server and saves the evaluated response for subsequent rules
 to match against using [`match_response`](/configuration/dns/rule/#match_response) and response fields.
 Unlike `route`, it does **not** terminate rule evaluation.
 
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ Will override `dns.client_subnet`.
 
 This action does not send a new DNS query and has no extra options.
 
-Only allowed after a preceding top-level `evaluate` rule. If the action is reached without a saved response at runtime, the request fails with an error instead of falling through to later rules.
+Only allowed after a preceding top-level `evaluate` rule. If the action is reached without an evaluated response at runtime, the request fails with an error instead of falling through to later rules.
 
 ### route-options
 
diff --git a/docs/configuration/dns/rule_action.zh.md b/docs/configuration/dns/rule_action.zh.md
index b7d9b0dbd..a9db91820 100644
--- a/docs/configuration/dns/rule_action.zh.md
+++ b/docs/configuration/dns/rule_action.zh.md
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ icon: material/new-box
 }
 ```
 
-`evaluate` 向指定服务器发送 DNS 查询并保存响应，供后续规则通过 [`match_response`](/zh/configuration/dns/rule/#match_response) 和响应字段进行匹配。与 `route` 不同，它**不会**终止规则评估。
+`evaluate` 向指定服务器发送 DNS 查询并保存已评估的响应，供后续规则通过 [`match_response`](/zh/configuration/dns/rule/#match_response) 和响应字段进行匹配。与 `route` 不同，它**不会**终止规则评估。
 
 仅允许在顶层 DNS 规则中使用（不可在逻辑子规则内部使用）。
 使用 [`match_response`](/zh/configuration/dns/rule/#match_response) 或响应匹配字段的规则，
@@ -120,11 +120,11 @@ icon: material/new-box
 }
 ```
 
-`respond` 会终止规则评估，并直接返回前序 [`evaluate`](/zh/configuration/dns/rule_action/#evaluate) 动作保存的 DNS 响应。
+`respond` 会终止规则评估，并直接返回前序 [`evaluate`](/zh/configuration/dns/rule_action/#evaluate) 动作保存的已评估的响应。
 
 此动作不会发起新的 DNS 查询，也没有额外选项。
 
-只能用于前面已有顶层 `evaluate` 规则的场景。如果运行时命中该动作时没有已保存的响应，则请求会直接返回错误，而不是继续匹配后续规则。
+只能用于前面已有顶层 `evaluate` 规则的场景。如果运行时命中该动作时没有已评估的响应，则请求会直接返回错误，而不是继续匹配后续规则。
 
 ### route-options