CREATE TABLE t (a CHAR(5) NOT NULL) ENGINE=MEMORY CHARSET=utf8; INSERT INTO t (a) VALUES ("a"); INSERT INTO t (a) VALUES ("b"); INSERT INTO t (a) VALUES ("c"); INSERT INTO t (a) VALUES ("d"); INSERT INTO t (a) VALUES ("e"); INSERT INTO t (a) VALUES ("f"); INSERT INTO t (a) VALUES ("g"); INSERT INTO t (a) VALUES ("h"); INSERT INTO t (a) VALUES ("i"); INSERT INTO t (a) VALUES ("j"); INSERT INTO t (a) VALUES ("k"); INSERT INTO t (a) VALUES ("l"); INSERT INTO t (a) VALUES ("m"); SELECT * FROM t ORDER BY a COLLATE utf8_bin; a a b c d e f g h i j k l m DROP TABLE t;