set hive.map.aggr=false; set hive.groupby.skewindata=false; set mapred.reduce.tasks=31; CREATE TABLE dest1(c1 STRING) STORED AS TEXTFILE; EXPLAIN FROM src INSERT OVERWRITE TABLE dest1 SELECT DISTINCT substr(src.value,5,1); FROM src INSERT OVERWRITE TABLE dest1 SELECT DISTINCT substr(src.value,5,1); SELECT dest1.* FROM dest1;