php echo variable stored in mysql field -

i'm trying find out how can echo variable name stored in mysql database. example:

in field 'variable' of table have stored:

$target["year"] 

php code:

$target["year"]="2013"; while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($query))     {      echo $row['variable']; // output should 2013 } 

i read article variables variable on php.net can't find solution problem