This post describes how to check the character set of a database/ table/ column in MySQL.
Database:
Table:
Column:
SELECT default_character_set_name FROM information_schema.SCHEMATA S WHERE schema_name = "schemaname";
Table:
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";
Column:
SELECT character_set_name FROM information_schema.`COLUMNS` C WHERE table_schema = "schemaname" AND table_name = "tablename" AND column_name = "columnname";