CREATE TABLE tab1 (
id NUMBER(10),
description VARCHAR2(20)
);
CREATE TABLE tab2 (
id NUMBER(10),
description VARCHAR2(20 CHAR)
);
SQL> show parameter nls_length_semantics
NAME TYPE VALUE
------------------------------------ ----------- ------------------------------
nls_length_semantics string BYTE
SQL> desc tab1
Name Null? Type
----------------------------------------- -------- ----------------------------
ID NUMBER(10)
DESCRIPTION VARCHAR2(20)
SQL> desc tab2
Name Null? Type
----------------------------------------- -------- ----------------------------
ID NUMBER(10)
DESCRIPTION VARCHAR2(20 CHAR)
SQL> alter session set NLS_LENGTH_SEMANTICS=char;
Session altered.
SQL> desc tab1
Name Null? Type
----------------------------------------- -------- ----------------------------
ID NUMBER(10)
DESCRIPTION VARCHAR2(20 BYTE)
SQL> desc tab2;
Name Null? Type
----------------------------------------- -------- ----------------------------
ID NUMBER(10)
DESCRIPTION VARCHAR2(20)
SQL> create table tab3(t1 varchar2(20));
Table created.
SQL>
SQL> desc tab3;
Name Null? Type
----------------------------------------- -------- ----------------------------
T1 VARCHAR2(20)