Probably because the combination of the classifications in iroha order and by categories had been useful, the setsuyoshu began to circulate widely in contrast to other dictionaries, such as "Onkochishinsho" (in which the words were classified in Japanese alphabetical order or aiueo order and subclassified by categories) published in 1484 or "Kagaku-shu" (a Japanese dictionary made in the Muromachi period).
いろは順・部門別が便利であったらしく、文明16年（1484年）に成立した『温故知新書』（五十音に分けて部門別）や『下学集』などとは対照的に広く流布していった。