diff --git a/libc/bionic/icu.cpp b/libc/bionic/icu.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c11b9d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libc/bionic/icu.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2016 The Android Open Source Project
+ * All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+ * are met:
+ *  * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ *  * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+ *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
+ *    the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+ *    distribution.
+ *
+ * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+ * "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+ * LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS
+ * FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+ * COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
+ * INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING,
+ * BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS
+ * OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED
+ * AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY,
+ * OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT
+ * OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
+ * SUCH DAMAGE.
+ */
+
+#include "private/icu.h"
+
+#include <dirent.h>
+#include <dlfcn.h>
+#include <pthread.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+
+#include <async_safe/log.h>
+
+static void* g_libicu_handle = nullptr;
+
+static bool __find_icu() {
+  g_libicu_handle = dlopen("libicu.so", RTLD_LOCAL);
+  if (g_libicu_handle == nullptr) {
+    async_safe_format_log(ANDROID_LOG_ERROR, "bionic-icu", "couldn't open libicu.so: %s",
+                          dlerror());
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  return true;
+}
+
+void* __find_icu_symbol(const char* symbol_name) {
+  static bool found_icu = __find_icu();
+  if (!found_icu) return nullptr;
+
+  void* symbol = dlsym(g_libicu_handle, symbol_name);
+  if (symbol == nullptr) {
+    async_safe_format_log(ANDROID_LOG_ERROR, "bionic-icu", "couldn't find %s", symbol_name);
+  }
+  return symbol;
+}
diff --git a/libc/bionic/icu4x.rs b/libc/bionic/icu4x.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index f3754c7..0000000
--- a/libc/bionic/icu4x.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,112 +0,0 @@
-// Copyright (C) 2025 The Android Open Source Project
-// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
-
-#![allow(missing_docs)] // Not particularly useful to document these thin wrappers
-
-//! This is a thin wrapper around ICU4X for use in Bionic
-
-use icu_casemap::CaseMapper;
-use icu_collections::codepointtrie::TrieValue;
-use icu_properties::props::*;
-use icu_properties::{CodePointMapData, CodePointSetData};
-
-#[no_mangle]
-pub extern "C" fn __icu4x_bionic_general_category(ch: u32) -> u8 {
-    CodePointMapData::<GeneralCategory>::new().get32(ch) as u8
-}
-
-#[no_mangle]
-pub extern "C" fn __icu4x_bionic_east_asian_width(ch: u32) -> u8 {
-    CodePointMapData::<EastAsianWidth>::new().get32(ch).to_u32() as u8
-}
-
-#[no_mangle]
-pub extern "C" fn __icu4x_bionic_hangul_syllable_type(ch: u32) -> u8 {
-    CodePointMapData::<HangulSyllableType>::new().get32(ch).to_u32() as u8
-}
-
-#[no_mangle]
-pub extern "C" fn __icu4x_bionic_is_alphabetic(ch: u32) -> bool {
-    CodePointSetData::new::<Alphabetic>().contains32(ch)
-}
-
-#[no_mangle]
-pub extern "C" fn __icu4x_bionic_is_default_ignorable_code_point(ch: u32) -> bool {
-    CodePointSetData::new::<DefaultIgnorableCodePoint>().contains32(ch)
-}
-
-#[no_mangle]
-pub extern "C" fn __icu4x_bionic_is_lowercase(ch: u32) -> bool {
-    CodePointSetData::new::<Lowercase>().contains32(ch)
-}
-
-#[no_mangle]
-pub extern "C" fn __icu4x_bionic_is_alnum(ch: u32) -> bool {
-    CodePointSetData::new::<Alnum>().contains32(ch)
-}
-
-#[no_mangle]
-pub extern "C" fn __icu4x_bionic_is_blank(ch: u32) -> bool {
-    CodePointSetData::new::<Blank>().contains32(ch)
-}
-
-#[no_mangle]
-pub extern "C" fn __icu4x_bionic_is_graph(ch: u32) -> bool {
-    CodePointSetData::new::<Graph>().contains32(ch)
-}
-
-#[no_mangle]
-pub extern "C" fn __icu4x_bionic_is_print(ch: u32) -> bool {
-    CodePointSetData::new::<Print>().contains32(ch)
-}
-
-#[no_mangle]
-pub extern "C" fn __icu4x_bionic_is_xdigit(ch: u32) -> bool {
-    CodePointSetData::new::<Xdigit>().contains32(ch)
-}
-
-#[no_mangle]
-pub extern "C" fn __icu4x_bionic_is_white_space(ch: u32) -> bool {
-    CodePointSetData::new::<WhiteSpace>().contains32(ch)
-}
-
-#[no_mangle]
-pub extern "C" fn __icu4x_bionic_is_uppercase(ch: u32) -> bool {
-    CodePointSetData::new::<Uppercase>().contains32(ch)
-}
-
-/// Convert a code point to uppercase
-#[no_mangle]
-pub extern "C" fn __icu4x_bionic_to_upper(ch: u32) -> u32 {
-    let Ok(ch) = char::try_from(ch) else {
-        return ch;
-    };
-    let cm = CaseMapper::new();
-
-    let ret = cm.simple_uppercase(ch) as u32;
-    // Once updated to the next ICU4X version (after 2.0.0-beta1),
-    // this code can be simplified to use CaseMapperBorrowed (https://github.com/unicode-org/icu4x/pull/6088)
-    //
-    // This CaseMapper is made from compiled data, so this dtor is no-op anyway,
-    // but the optimizer still links in a bunch of code
-    core::mem::forget(cm);
-    ret
-}
-
-/// Convert a code point to lowercase
-#[no_mangle]
-pub extern "C" fn __icu4x_bionic_to_lower(ch: u32) -> u32 {
-    let Ok(ch) = char::try_from(ch) else {
-        return ch;
-    };
-    let cm = CaseMapper::new();
-
-    let ret = cm.simple_lowercase(ch) as u32;
-    // Once updated to the next ICU4X version (after 2.0.0-beta1),
-    // this code can be simplified to use CaseMapperBorrowed (https://github.com/unicode-org/icu4x/pull/6088)
-    //
-    // This CaseMapper is made from compiled data, so this dtor is no-op anyway,
-    // but the optimizer still links in a bunch of code
-    core::mem::forget(cm);
-    ret
-}
diff --git a/libc/bionic/icu_static.cpp b/libc/bionic/icu_static.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cf24a38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libc/bionic/icu_static.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2016 The Android Open Source Project
+ * All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+ * are met:
+ *  * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ *  * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+ *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
+ *    the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+ *    distribution.
+ *
+ * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+ * "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+ * LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS
+ * FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+ * COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
+ * INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING,
+ * BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS
+ * OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED
+ * AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY,
+ * OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT
+ * OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
+ * SUCH DAMAGE.
+ */
+
+#include "private/icu.h"
+
+// We don't have dlopen/dlsym for static binaries yet.
+void* __find_icu_symbol(const char*) {
+  return nullptr;
+}
diff --git a/libc/bionic/icu_wrappers.cpp b/libc/bionic/icu_wrappers.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..523f5a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libc/bionic/icu_wrappers.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2017 The Android Open Source Project
+ * All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+ * are met:
+ *  * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ *  * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+ *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
+ *    the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+ *    distribution.
+ *
+ * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+ * "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+ * LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS
+ * FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+ * COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
+ * INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING,
+ * BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS
+ * OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED
+ * AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY,
+ * OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT
+ * OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
+ * SUCH DAMAGE.
+ */
+
+#include "private/icu.h"
+
+int8_t __icu_charType(wint_t wc) {
+  typedef int8_t (*u_charType_t)(UChar32);
+  static auto u_charType = reinterpret_cast<u_charType_t>(__find_icu_symbol("u_charType"));
+  return u_charType ? u_charType(wc) : -1;
+}
+
+int32_t __icu_getIntPropertyValue(wint_t wc, UProperty property) {
+  typedef int32_t (*u_getIntPropertyValue_t)(UChar32, UProperty);
+  static auto u_getIntPropertyValue =
+      reinterpret_cast<u_getIntPropertyValue_t>(__find_icu_symbol("u_getIntPropertyValue"));
+  return u_getIntPropertyValue ? u_getIntPropertyValue(wc, property) : 0;
+}
diff --git a/libc/bionic/wctype.cpp b/libc/bionic/wctype.cpp
index 8d0733d..94597d9 100644
--- a/libc/bionic/wctype.cpp
+++ b/libc/bionic/wctype.cpp
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 #include <wchar.h>
 
 #include "bionic/macros.h"
-#include "private/icu4x.h"
+#include "private/icu.h"
 
 enum {
   WC_TYPE_INVALID = 0,
@@ -54,65 +54,60 @@
   WC_TYPE_MAX
 };
 
-#define DO_ISW(prop_name, narrow_fn) \
-  if (__predict_true(wc < 0x80)) {   \
-    return narrow_fn(wc);            \
-  }                                  \
-  return __icu4x_bionic_is_##prop_name(wc);
+static u_hasBinaryProperty_t __find_u_hasBinaryProperty() {
+  static auto u_hasBinaryProperty =
+      reinterpret_cast<u_hasBinaryProperty_t>(__find_icu_symbol("u_hasBinaryProperty"));
+  return u_hasBinaryProperty;
+}
 
-int iswalnum(wint_t wc) {
-  DO_ISW(alnum, isalnum);
-}
+#define DO_ISW(icu_constant, narrow_fn) \
+  u_hasBinaryProperty_t u_hasBinaryProperty; \
+  if (__predict_true(wc < 0x80) || \
+      !(u_hasBinaryProperty = __find_u_hasBinaryProperty())) { \
+    return narrow_fn(wc); \
+  } \
+  return u_hasBinaryProperty(wc, icu_constant); \
+
+int iswalnum(wint_t wc) { DO_ISW(UCHAR_POSIX_ALNUM, isalnum); }
 __strong_alias(iswalnum_l, iswalnum);
-int iswalpha(wint_t wc) {
-  DO_ISW(alphabetic, isalpha);
-}
+int iswalpha(wint_t wc) { DO_ISW(UCHAR_ALPHABETIC, isalpha); }
 __strong_alias(iswalpha_l, iswalpha);
-int iswblank(wint_t wc) {
-  DO_ISW(blank, isblank);
-}
+int iswblank(wint_t wc) { DO_ISW(UCHAR_POSIX_BLANK, isblank); }
 __strong_alias(iswblank_l, iswblank);
-int iswgraph(wint_t wc) {
-  DO_ISW(graph, isgraph);
-}
+int iswgraph(wint_t wc) { DO_ISW(UCHAR_POSIX_GRAPH, isgraph); }
 __strong_alias(iswgraph_l, iswgraph);
-int iswlower(wint_t wc) {
-  DO_ISW(lowercase, islower);
-}
+int iswlower(wint_t wc) { DO_ISW(UCHAR_LOWERCASE, islower); }
 __strong_alias(iswlower_l, iswlower);
-int iswprint(wint_t wc) {
-  DO_ISW(print, isprint);
-}
+int iswprint(wint_t wc) { DO_ISW(UCHAR_POSIX_PRINT, isprint); }
 __strong_alias(iswprint_l, iswprint);
-int iswspace(wint_t wc) {
-  DO_ISW(white_space, isspace);
-}
+int iswspace(wint_t wc) { DO_ISW(UCHAR_WHITE_SPACE, isspace); }
 __strong_alias(iswspace_l, iswspace);
-int iswupper(wint_t wc) {
-  DO_ISW(uppercase, isupper);
-}
+int iswupper(wint_t wc) { DO_ISW(UCHAR_UPPERCASE, isupper); }
 __strong_alias(iswupper_l, iswupper);
-int iswxdigit(wint_t wc) {
-  DO_ISW(xdigit, isxdigit);
-}
+int iswxdigit(wint_t wc) { DO_ISW(UCHAR_POSIX_XDIGIT, isxdigit); }
 __strong_alias(iswxdigit_l, iswxdigit);
 
 int iswcntrl(wint_t wc) {
   if (wc < 0x80) return iscntrl(wc);
-  return __icu4x_bionic_general_category(wc) == U_CONTROL_CHAR;
+  typedef int8_t (*FnT)(UChar32);
+  static auto u_charType = reinterpret_cast<FnT>(__find_icu_symbol("u_charType"));
+  return u_charType ? (u_charType(wc) == U_CONTROL_CHAR) : iscntrl(wc);
 }
 __strong_alias(iswcntrl_l, iswcntrl);
 
 int iswdigit(wint_t wc) {
   if (wc < 0x80) return isdigit(wc);
-  return __icu4x_bionic_general_category(wc) == U_DECIMAL_NUMBER;
+  typedef UBool (*FnT)(UChar32);
+  static auto u_isdigit = reinterpret_cast<FnT>(__find_icu_symbol("u_isdigit"));
+  return u_isdigit ? u_isdigit(wc) : isdigit(wc);
 }
 __strong_alias(iswdigit_l, iswdigit);
 
 int iswpunct(wint_t wc) {
   if (wc < 0x80) return ispunct(wc);
-  int8_t chartype = __icu4x_bionic_general_category(wc);
-  return chartype >= U_DASH_PUNCTUATION && chartype <= U_OTHER_PUNCTUATION;
+  typedef UBool (*FnT)(UChar32);
+  static auto u_ispunct = reinterpret_cast<FnT>(__find_icu_symbol("u_ispunct"));
+  return u_ispunct ? u_ispunct(wc) : ispunct(wc);
 }
 __strong_alias(iswpunct_l, iswpunct);
 
@@ -129,14 +124,18 @@
 wint_t towlower(wint_t wc) {
   if (wc < 0x80) return tolower(wc);
 
-  return __icu4x_bionic_to_lower(wc);
+  typedef UChar32 (*FnT)(UChar32);
+  static auto u_tolower = reinterpret_cast<FnT>(__find_icu_symbol("u_tolower"));
+  return u_tolower ? u_tolower(wc) : tolower(wc);
 }
 __strong_alias(towlower_l, towlower);
 
 wint_t towupper(wint_t wc) {
   if (wc < 0x80) return toupper(wc);
 
-  return __icu4x_bionic_to_upper(wc);
+  typedef UChar32 (*FnT)(UChar32);
+  static auto u_toupper = reinterpret_cast<FnT>(__find_icu_symbol("u_toupper"));
+  return u_toupper ? u_toupper(wc) : toupper(wc);
 }
 __strong_alias(towupper_l, towupper);
 
diff --git a/libc/bionic/wcwidth.cpp b/libc/bionic/wcwidth.cpp
index 633d83e..776321f 100644
--- a/libc/bionic/wcwidth.cpp
+++ b/libc/bionic/wcwidth.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 
 #include <wchar.h>
 
-#include "private/icu4x.h"
+#include "private/icu.h"
 
 int wcwidth(wchar_t wc) {
   // Fast-path ASCII.
@@ -44,33 +44,38 @@
   // pretty arbitrary. See https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~mgk25/ucs/wcwidth.c for more details.
 
   // Fancy unicode control characters?
-  switch (__icu4x_bionic_general_category(wc)) {
-    case U_CONTROL_CHAR:
-      return -1;
-    case U_NON_SPACING_MARK:
-    case U_ENCLOSING_MARK:
-      return 0;
-    case U_FORMAT_CHAR:
-      // A special case for soft hyphen (U+00AD) to match historical practice.
-      // See the tests for more commentary.
-      return (wc == 0x00ad) ? 1 : 0;
+  switch (__icu_charType(wc)) {
+   case -1:
+    // No icu4c available; give up.
+    return -1;
+   case U_CONTROL_CHAR:
+    return -1;
+   case U_NON_SPACING_MARK:
+   case U_ENCLOSING_MARK:
+    return 0;
+   case U_FORMAT_CHAR:
+    // A special case for soft hyphen (U+00AD) to match historical practice.
+    // See the tests for more commentary.
+    return (wc == 0x00ad) ? 1 : 0;
   }
 
   // Medial and final jamo render as zero width when used correctly,
   // so we handle them specially rather than relying on East Asian Width.
-  switch (__icu4x_bionic_hangul_syllable_type(wc)) {
-    case U_HST_VOWEL_JAMO:
-    case U_HST_TRAILING_JAMO:
-      return 0;
-    case U_HST_LEADING_JAMO:
-    case U_HST_LV_SYLLABLE:
-    case U_HST_LVT_SYLLABLE:
-      return 2;
+  switch (__icu_getIntPropertyValue(wc, UCHAR_HANGUL_SYLLABLE_TYPE)) {
+   case U_HST_VOWEL_JAMO:
+   case U_HST_TRAILING_JAMO:
+    return 0;
+   case U_HST_LEADING_JAMO:
+   case U_HST_LV_SYLLABLE:
+   case U_HST_LVT_SYLLABLE:
+    return 2;
   }
 
   // Hangeul choseong filler U+115F is default ignorable, so we check default
   // ignorability only after we've already handled Hangeul jamo above.
-  if (__icu4x_bionic_is_default_ignorable_code_point(wc)) return 0;
+  static auto u_hasBinaryProperty =
+      reinterpret_cast<u_hasBinaryProperty_t>(__find_icu_symbol("u_hasBinaryProperty"));
+  if (u_hasBinaryProperty && u_hasBinaryProperty(wc, UCHAR_DEFAULT_IGNORABLE_CODE_POINT)) return 0;
 
   // A few weird special cases where EastAsianWidth is not helpful for us.
   if (wc >= 0x3248 && wc <= 0x4dff) {
@@ -83,15 +88,15 @@
 
   // The EastAsianWidth property is at least defined by the Unicode standard!
   // https://www.unicode.org/reports/tr11/
-  switch (__icu4x_bionic_east_asian_width(wc)) {
-    case U_EA_AMBIGUOUS:
-    case U_EA_HALFWIDTH:
-    case U_EA_NARROW:
-    case U_EA_NEUTRAL:
-      return 1;
-    case U_EA_FULLWIDTH:
-    case U_EA_WIDE:
-      return 2;
+  switch (__icu_getIntPropertyValue(wc, UCHAR_EAST_ASIAN_WIDTH)) {
+   case U_EA_AMBIGUOUS:
+   case U_EA_HALFWIDTH:
+   case U_EA_NARROW:
+   case U_EA_NEUTRAL:
+    return 1;
+   case U_EA_FULLWIDTH:
+   case U_EA_WIDE:
+    return 2;
   }
 
   return 0;