Abstract: Multi-functional trade-off and synergy of cultivated land can be accurately quantified to characterize the hidden form of cultivated land. In this study, the multi-functional analytical framework was constructed to evaluate the functional classification of cultivated land in the Yellow River Basin (Henan section) using the time series social and economic development data from 1990 to 2020. The function of cultivated land was firstly divided into the production, social, ecological, and cultural function. The multi-functional index of cultivated land was then calculated to reveal the multi-functionality evolution of cultivated land. The dominant function was clarified for the cultivated land at different stages of transformation. After that, a land system function trade-off degree (LFTD) model was selected for the trade-off and collaborative analysis. As such, the hidden form of cultivated land use was determined to explore the complex evolution and influence mechanism of cultivated land multi-function in the process of cultivated land transformation. The results showed that: 1) The multi-function of cultivated land showed a fluctuating upward trend from 1990 to 2020. Specifically, the production function of cultivated land continued to increase, due to the ever-increasing yield level of grain crops and the total power of agricultural machinery. The social function index of cultivated land also increased slightly with the increase of per capita net income of farmers. Nevertheless, a downward trend was found in the ecological function index of cultivated land, particularly for the use of chemical fertilizers after 2010. Fortunately, the cultural function of cultivated land increased significantly with the increase of cultural investment and agricultural sightseeing garden area. 2) Six stages were divided for the variation in the multifunctionality of cultivated land from 1990 to 2020, according to the functional hierarchy. The production and ecological functions were dominated in the first four stages of 1990-2010, while the production and cultural functions were in the last two stages of 2010-2020, indicating the more complicated relationship between functions. 3) The interaction among the production, social, ecological, and cultural functions of cultivated land showed the evolution characteristics of "trade-off was dominant-trade-off and synergistic is balanced-trade-off is dominant" from 1990 to 2020. A significant transformation was observed in the cultivated land function after 2010. 4) The correlation coefficients were varied with the time from 1990 to 2020, in term of the influencing factors of cultivated land transformation. Moreover, the significant influencing factors were also determined as the urbanization rate, total power of agricultural machinery, total grain output, and proportion of tertiary industry. The hidden morphological changes of cultivated land were greatly contributed to the transformation of cultivated land use. The finding can provide a strong reference to construct the regulation path of the green transformation and the evolution process of human-land relationship for the sustainable use of cultivated land.