Hirai

Hirai is a Japanese surname and toponym. As a surname, it is most commonly written with the kanji 平井, which literally means "flat well" or "level well" and is associated with a geographic origin in some families. The name is relatively common in Japan and appears across a range of professions, including arts, science, and public life. In addition to personal names, Hirai also occurs as a place name in Japan, where it has historically described locations characterized by flat terrain near water.

In romanization, Hirai is the standard rendering of the kana reading. The same kanji may be read differently in other contexts or dialects, and other kanji combinations can also be read as Hirai. Outside Japan, Hirai is encountered among people of Japanese descent and, occasionally, in fictional works as a surname.