The former, soden, was a piece of land for which hereditary succession as the shoryo (territory) and shoshiki (the right of a shoen governor) by the descendents of an owner family was allowed, whereas the latter, onryo, was the shoryo and shoshiki which had been granted by the honke (the head family) and the honjo (the principal institution and a chief tenant) as the reward in return for service, and the right to grant or deprive of the fief was held by the honke and honjo.
前者はその家に代々伝えられてきた所領・所職として子孫への継承が許された土地であり、後者は奉仕の代償として本家・本所から与えられた所領・所職でその付与・剥奪は本家・本所側にあった。