- The [`character_set_server`](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.0/en/server-system-variables.html#sysvar_character_set_server) and [`collation_server`](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.0/en/server-system-variables.html#sysvar_collation_server) system variables indicate the server character set and collation. See [Section 10.3.2, “Server Character Set and Collation”](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.0/en/charset-server.html "10.3.2 Server Character Set and Collation"). - The [`character_set_database`](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.0/en/server-system-variables.html#sysvar_character_set_database) and [`collation_database`](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.0/en/server-system-variables.html#sysvar_collation_database) system variables indicate the character set and collation of the default database. See [Section 10.3.3, “Database Character Set and Collation”](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.0/en/charset-database.html "10.3.3 Database Character Set and Collation"). - The server takes the [`character_set_client`](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.0/en/server-system-variables.html#sysvar_character_set_client) system variable to be the character set in which statements are sent by the client. - What character set should the server translate statements to after receiving them. To determine this, the server uses the [`character_set_connection`](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.0/en/server-system-variables.html#sysvar_character_set_connection) and [`collation_connection`](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.0/en/server-system-variables.html#sysvar_collation_connection) system variables. - When a client connects to the server, it indicates which character set it wants to use for communication with the server. (Actually, **the client indicates the default collation for that character set**, from which the server can determine the character set.) The server uses this information to set the [`character_set_client`](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.7/en/server-system-variables.html#sysvar_character_set_client), [`character_set_results`](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.7/en/server-system-variables.html#sysvar_character_set_results), [`character_set_connection`](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.7/en/server-system-variables.html#sysvar_character_set_connection) system variables to the character set, and [`collation_connection`](https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.7/en/server-system-variables.html#sysvar_collation_connection) to the character set default collation.