Every ``character'' column (that is, a column of type CHAR, VARCHAR, or TEXT) has a column character set and a column collation, which may not be null. Column definition syntax now has optional clauses for specifying the column character set and collation:
column_name {CHAR | VARCHAR | TEXT} (column_length) [CHARACTER SET character_set_name [COLLATE collation_name]]
Example:
CREATE TABLE Table1 ( column1 VARCHAR(5) CHARACTER SET latin1 COLLATE latin1_german1_ci );
MySQL chooses the column character set and collation thus:
If both CHARACTER SET X and COLLATE Y were specified, then character set X and collation Y.
If CHARACTER SET X was specified without COLLATE, then character set X and its default collation.
Otherwise, the table character set and collation.
The CHARACTER SET and COLLATE clauses are standard SQL.