The form of phosphorus in lake sediments is a key internal factor affecting its migration and transformation in aquatic ecosystems. This study collected surface and core sediment samples from 36 sites in Lake Hulun and systematically analyzed the distribution characteristics of phosphorus forms in the sediments and their correlations with particle size, pH, organic carbon, and simultaneously extracted iron, aluminum, calcium, and manganese. Significant positive correlations between P (phosphorus) contents and Al (Aluminum), Ca (Calcium), Fe (Iron) and Mn (Manganese) highlighted the potential effects of metallic oxides on surface adsorption and co-precipitation. Simultaneously, contributed by the larger specific surface area property, P and both mean grain size and pH exhibited significant negative correlations. Additionally, our results also highlighted the stability of Fe-P (Iron-bound phosphorus), Al-P (Aluminum-bound phosphorus), and Ca-P (Calcium-bound phosphorus) were strongly associated with pH. TOC (total organic carbon) contributed most significantly to P distributions, followed by grain size. This study provides fundamental data on the migration and transformation of phosphorus in northern lake sediments in China, offering new perspectives on understanding the geochemical characteristics of phosphorus in different lake areas and their responses to natural and anthropogenic processes nationally.