我是这么做的——

对于模式(或数据库-它们是同义词):

SELECT default_character_set_name FROM information_schema.SCHEMATA 
WHERE schema_name = "schemaname";

表:

SELECT CCSA.character_set_name FROM information_schema.`TABLES` T,
       information_schema.`COLLATION_CHARACTER_SET_APPLICABILITY` CCSA
WHERE CCSA.collation_name = T.table_collation
  AND T.table_schema = "schemaname"
  AND T.table_name = "tablename";

列:

SELECT character_set_name FROM information_schema.`COLUMNS` 
WHERE table_schema = "schemaname"
  AND table_name = "tablename"
  AND column_name = "columnname";

数据库:

USE your_database_name;
show variables like "character_set_database";
-- or:
-- show variables like "collation_database";

参考本页。查阅MySQL手册

对于表和列:

show create table your_table_name

列:

SHOW FULL COLUMNS FROM table_name;

表:

SHOW TABLE STATUS将列出所有的表。

使用过滤:

SHOW TABLE STATUS where name like 'table_123';

正如前面所写的，SHOW FULL COLUMNS应该是获取列信息的首选方法。 缺少的是在不直接到达元数据表的情况下获取字符集的方法:

SHOW FULL COLUMNS FROM my_table WHERE Field = 'my_field'
SHOW COLLATION WHERE Collation = 'collation_you_got'